Arsenal ultimately eased past Monaco with a 3-0 victory in a game where they gave an uneven performance but also showed the strength of their squad. Monaco were one place behind us at the start of the game. We began the game with four changes from Fulham on Sunday. Miles Lewis Skelly came in (to great effect) at left back. Jesùs, C100’s favourite player, led the attack with Saka and Martinelli wide.
Monaco began the game confidently going forward but at the same time looked extraordinarily brittle in defence and Arsenal opened them up at will in the first period. Jesus was set up twice (once by a quite stunning through ball from Kiwior) and saw the goalkeeper block both efforts. Ødegaard curled a shot wide of the left post and then later in the half took the ball unopposed from the halfway line only to slide the ball wide of the right post. Martinelli missed a very decent chance while flagged offside (he wasn’t) but we went to half-time ahead because of a beautifully worked move in the 34th minute.
A flowing move across the pitch saw the ball switched left to Lewis Skelly. He turned out of a strong challenge and threaded the ball beautifully to Jesùs who slid an excellent ball across the 6-yard box to Saka who passed it in at the far post with his right foot.
Arsenal 1 Monaco 0 – Saka, 34
We went to the interval in the lead on merit but the feeling in the ground was that we had been incredibly profligate in front of goal. We were also the beneficiaries of a piece of lenient officiating from the Italian referee who declined to give Martinelli a second yellow for an ill-judged trip when he was already on a yellow just before half-time. A PGMOL referee would almost certainly have punished the offence with a second yellow.
Half-time Arsenal 1 Monaco 0
It was noticeable tonight that the two overriding observations about Arsenal this season did not hold true. We were more creative on our left side than our right, playing a lot more down the left especially in the second half when Saka was isolated in a small segment in the right side trying to take down long passes from Raya under pressure with little space to work in.
We also had very little set piece activity (I can only recall two corners) and it was interesting that when we took the kicks Monaco kept several players upfield thus diluting our numbers in the box. Just before our second corner, Arteta called over Jorginho and it looked as if he wanted Arsenal to flood the box but Jorginho could not get the defenders to venture forward!
The second half was more of a struggle and the first part was rather scrappy. Monaco missed a decent headed chance and Embolo then smashed a very presentable chance wide. Arteta then made some key changes at 63 minutes, bringing on Trossard, Jorginho (for Rice who was excellent in an understated way), Timber for the hugely promising MLS and eventually Jesùs was replaced by Havertz. To me the game changed from that moment. Havertz provided us with a skilful mobile platform upfront, dropping into midfield to great effect. Eventually he forced the vital second goal which we needed having soaked up quite a lot of pressure from the Monegasques.
Monaco over-elaborated in their own box putting the keeper under huge pressure. Majecki was closed down by Havertz at incredible speed and the ball fell to Saka who turned it home.
Arsenal 2 Monaco 0 – Saka 78
Saka returned the compliment with two minutes to go turning the ball in from the right for Havertz to finish at the near post (though UEFA have now declared it an O.G.).
Arsenal 3 Monaco 0 – Havertz 88
Saka is a remarkably efficient player. This was far from his peak performance but he still scored two goals and laid on an assist. He is an incredibly productive asset and a very precious part of this Arsenal team – as if we didn’t know this already!
So, what conclusions might we draw from the match and our progression through the group stage so far? This was a shadow defence although Saliba and Kiwior were solid and decisive apart from one piece of early hesitancy from the Pole. Partey was extremely erratic with his distribution – an odd trait in a full back who normally strives to look after the ball so well in midfield. I was impressed by Merino but Jesùs, Martinelli and even Ødegaard are showing signs of fatal under-confidence in front of goal.
We looked a much better team with Havertz upfront and his flexibility and intelligence underscore Mike McDonald’s contention that he can co-exist with a top striker (who he believes should be Gyokeres) in a more potent attacking line-up. It is worth noting that a slick finish by Sturm Graz was provided yesterday by Mika Biereth formerly of this parish who Edu sold for £4million in the summer. He looks a much more dangerous striker than Jesùs. We have a super and flexible attacking unit but we need more killer instinct. Our first half profligacy could have cost us dear. However, as it now stands we have an excellent chance of finishing in the top 8.
That certainly is the game I didn’t see because I was asleep TTG – so I’m very grateful for your summary.
Our profligacy is as concerning as another clean sheet is pleasing.
Mike McDonald also favours the Tractor Boys firebrand Liam Delap. An interesting proposition.
Monaco had a very impressive no 7 , Ben Seghir .who plays in midfield . One to watch
A very fair assessment of a somewhat patchy performance by the team, TTG.
I agree that MLS made a promising CL debut. His pass to Jesus setting up the first goal was top drawer. It summed up Jesus’s evening in that UEFA chose his pass to Saka for our first goal as one of its three assists of the match round, but also the save when he was clean through as one of the three top saves.
Ben Seghir is one of the rising stars of Ligue Un; he is not yet 20 and already has eight caps for Morocco.
Thanks TTG, an excellent game for us in many ways with a review to match. It was handy that Minamino is still a duffer in front of goal (he once scored against us for Liverpool, how unlucky was that)
We did well defensively and I thought Kiwior (TTG’s favourite player) had another good game. We never looked particularly vulnerable on that side despite Kiwior / MLS being a scratch partnership. Well done both of them, MLS looks a great prospect so far this season and it was telling that he was preferred to KT3 though MA sold us a dummy before the game.
Best Zagreb at home next time and I guess we wrap up a top 8 spot.
Cheers TTG. We very much saw the same match.
And what Matt said.
Thanks for an excellent match report TTG. Although 3-0 did not flatter us overall, our first half profligacy meant that Monaco’s resurgence at the beginning of the second half (they are no mugs) was a sweaty spell and could have turned the game on its head but for stolid defending (good call on Kiwior, Matt) in which Rice and Merino had a significant role. The substitutions on 60 turned the tide and Havertz’s contributions in particular made a huge difference. I was hard in my immediate post match comment on Jesus who worked hard all game and whose efforts while one on one were well saved by the Monaco keeper rather than misses. Even the great IW8 and TH14 were thwarted in such situations every now and again.
Saka was double teamed throughout yet had two goals and an assist – what a player! Ødegaard was unlucky with his curler and one-on-one but kept working at creating openings and pressing the opposition and not only driving the team forward but also encouraging vocal support from the stands. Martinelli was a constant thorn in the Monaco flank. Late on, Nwanweri had an excellent late cameo but the flowers must go to MLS who looked confident from the off and clearly also has the confidence of his elders as he showed of a pass regularly and they had no hesitation in passing to him under pressure. His contribution to the crucial opening goal was superb. MLS is a player and a half.
From my second story perch at Brit’s Pub in Minneapolis this match was memorable for Rice’s unsurprising solidity in midfield, but also for Kiwior and MLS’s hoped for but domewhat more surprising solidity on the left side of our defensive setup, with MLS inverting into midfield with the confidence of a veteran. So much so that MLS’s substitution for Kiwior on 63-odd minutes was a bit of a disappointment because I wanted to see the lad for a tad longer but Kiwior did very well to bring additional verve to that position in the latter stages. Saka and Havertz took over the opposition penalty area in the last half hour like two practiced pickpockets out fir a stroll. I found myself chuckling when a few moments after Mikel sent him on, the German nicked one off the keeper’s toes, passed it back to Saka who promptly passed it back into the net easy as cake, or as gateau possibly. 🍰
Timber brought the added verve in the latter stages, not Kiwior who nevertheless remained solid.
A very nice piece about MLS (and his astute mother) here (paywall), I’d forgotten he squared up to Haaland and rattled his cage at the Emptihad:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/12/12/myles-lewis-skelly-arsenal-academy-mikel-arteta-haaland/
MLS captains his England age-group team, so he has leadership qualities that shine through. The way he showed the strength and self-confidence to play through a tackle before making the pass to Jesus that set up our first goal showed the timbre of the lad.
bath@10: The Athletic had this piece on MLS’s mother, Marcia Lewis, earlier this year. She is clearly a force of nature, and you can see where MLS’s drive comes from.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5649065/2024/07/22/myles-lewis-skelly-marcia-agent/?redirected=1
This is her on seeing MLS make his CL debut against PSG
https://www.instagram.com/p/DAn40nQsYiZ/
Ned @11, I do remember the latter. Drive is clearly predominantly genetically determined rather than externally conditioned, at least in MLS’ case! (Hopefully avoiding the tedious nature v nurture debate)
Thanks TTG for a very fair and readable report.
Interesting that, for a change, more of our productive attacking threat came from the left hand side of the team, even if Saka finished it from the right. What a superb player – and person – he is. Lewis-Skelly had an extremely promising first Champions League start and already looks an all-round better bet than Zinchenko. A superb pass to set up the first goal.
Thanks Ned @11 I read that at the time too, it was a good idea of his mother’s to set up the website. I was happy to read the educational standards at our academy are good for the scholars too – it seems they aren’t at some clubs and it would be nice if the PL / FA felt some need to do something about that or at least call them out on it.
Looks like Jesus stretched the Monaco keeper a fair bit, he’s out for a week now.
@15 perhaps he did his back picking the ball out the back of the net
and Saka’s to be blamed
he wasn’t a bad keeper and made some very good saves to be fair,
his distribution was a mile behind Raya’s though.
Adductors, which is why I ‘blamed’ Jesus. 😉
Tottenham’s current golden era is my favourite of their golden eras.
It’s Levy’s Midas touch, C100.
It certainly is the cause for much mirth!
Matt @14 – I have a piece in waiting about how the best of Arsenal’s youngsters are educated. Quite an eye opener – but need enough time between matches for it to be posted.
Blimey, that probably means March now, Trev?
Just when you fancy an interlull….
@21 something to look forward to Trev!
Trev
Maybe Arsenal could ask you to run the rule over future signings especially defenders. Calafiori is out again tomorrow and has proved incredibly fragile so far and Tomayisu and Zinchenko are almost perpetually injured . With Benny Blanco out we need fit and reliable defenders . Perhaps you could develop a protocol for them ?
On the bright side it looks like Gabriel will be back, which makes it all much easier to manage.
>>>>>>>