Unfortunately, the old cliché in the title turned out to be true as our long unbeaten run ended cruelly at Villa Park when the home side snatched a last-minute winner after several desperate blocks in a goalmouth scramble. Until then I had been happy enough that a stretched looking Arsenal team had held on for a creditable and deserved point after the second half had seen us come back from a goal down through a Leo Trossard equaliser and then press for a winner until we seemed to run out of steam in the final 15 minutes. What to make of it all? Losing at the death is always tough and makes it more difficult to provide a sound perspective, however I thought Mikel Arteta spoke well after the game and some of his observations certainly bear repeating (well, stealing really as this is my match report but if you’re going to steal…..)
“ In the manner that it happened at the end, it was really difficult to take. ……..in the second half, we started really well, scored the goal, we were very dominant. But then we had periods that again the same issue appeared (Mikel is referring to our poor ball management here). And then we didn’t have the dominance, and we allowed certain open spaces. We gave two balls away ourselves to the opponent that could have cost us the game before the goal.
“And then [before] the last kick of the game, we had the chance with Declan [Rice] to put the ball across for Noni and Viktor. We don’t score.
“Then, goal kick long, second ball, clear the ball, individual action, a lot of chaos inside the box, and you end up losing it. So it is painful.”
As for the game itself………..well, we all know the ending and so I have only briefly covered the high and low points below
First Half
The game had started 95 minutes or so earlier with an Arsenal line up including both Ødegaard and Eze as well as Saka and Merino up front. Saliba hadn’t made it and so the White / Timber partnership continued on the right. Hincapié and Calafiori on the left side of defence behind Zubi and Declan. A team selected to attack Villa was my thought, whereas Villa had loaded the midfield as usual, looking to overload and then play through the gaps for Rogers or Watkins. In fact, the teams largely cancelled each other out for the first 10 minutes before an Øde shot straight at Martinez was followed by excellent work from Raya as he got out to block Watkins at close range. It might not have stood as there was a clear foul on Riccy in the build-up but that scare seemed to wake us up a bit and our best spell of the half followed as we pushed forward to more purpose. Saka should have done better with a header he put wide, and we had a goal from Eze disallowed, fairly, as Saka was just off in the build-up, but we generally looked the more dangerous of the two sides.
Momentum switched however as the half wore on and Villa got more possession. They made it tell in the 38th minute when the ball came across from their left, was inadvertently nicked on, by Timber I think, and fell to an unmarked Cash at the far post who just smashed it through Raya’s legs. Cash had moved smartly to get the space for the goal though from Eze’s reaction he obviously realised he should have done better as well. A nervy couple of minutes followed the goal before we collected ourselves and pressed forward for an equaliser before half time, chances for White and Rice came and went before a final Villa chance for Rogers was smothered by good defensive work and that was it for what had been a fairly even first half but had finished with us 1-0 down.
Second Half
Mikel decided he’d seen enough and the 2nd half started with Viktor and Leo on for Mikel Merino and Eberechi Eze. Whether from those subs or a jolly good talking to by the boss the improvement was almost immediate as the 2nd half got going and after a couple of sighters Leo made it third time lucky when he tapped in the equaliser at the back post. The goal had started when Declan efficiently won the ball back in midfield; from there Saka and Øde worked the space for Saka to cross and a fingertip deflection from Emi diverted it nicely to the waiting Leo. 1-1. I thought us the more likely to win at this stage but, in all honesty, there were chances for both sides after that – by hook or by crook, Saka, Øde, Malen and Timber all nearly scored but didn’t, Timber’s would have been an own goal! As Mikel said in the earlier comments, the game started to slip away in the final 15 minutes, I felt we started to give it away too easily and lose out in several 50/50 challenges (I know, I know, I am supposed to say duels but honestly neither of them has a sword or a pistol). We did make an excellent final chance to score but it ended with Noni putting it in the side-netting – those infernal small margins – and then we got done at the death.
The game then ended in defeat and brought Villa to within three points of our lead, which later became two as Man City won as well. Chelsea and Liverpool did drop points, though whether that is relevant is certainly debatable. I expect we will in due course be treated to the ‘Have Arsenal imploded? doom, gloom nonsense’ in the media. On the other hand, I am also reasonably certain the sorry Slot/Salah saga will at least distract the attention of headline writers for a day or two. I do realise that sharing is healthy etc. etc but there was also something to be said for the old graceful, dignified and relatively silent exits of what seems like a distant yesteryear. That’s not to take sides or throw stones at Liverpool by the way, they are just the latest and it has certainly happened to us too. Regardless of whether you see it as petulance from the player or cold and impatient from the club I honestly struggle to see the benefit of all this noise for anyone not of a parasitical nature. I realise I am adding to the noise I am busy deploring, but this is a non-profit, non-parasitical Arsenal blog read by perhaps less than 100,000 people worldwide, a whole different thing!
However, on a more positive note, we remain top of the league, William Saliba is back soon and will be followed by Gabriel and Kai, and last, but not least, we can end December by gaining sweet, sweet revenge over Villa at our house. Things to enjoy right now and to look forward to as well!
What’s next?
Well, in practical terms it’s a trip to Bruges for beer, nice old buildings and chocolate an away game in the Champions League. Mikel will have some decisions to make as, clearly, we need to give a few players a break but we also we do not want to lose two in a row from a confidence perspective. Part of me would happily watch a Jesús, Viktor, Max front three take on the Bruges defence just for the hell of it but I suspect a more practical approach will prevail, however the detailed nature of that approach I will leave to our next intrepid correspondent.
In terms of a final word, I think I will leave that to Mikel again (if I had any sense of shame I would split my fee for this report with the boss)
“ We have to focus on ourselves and set standards that today, particularly individually, we didn’t raise that level. But the effort was absolutely there. Use that pain to go again. That’s football.”
Exactly boss. See you all next game!
Willow Christmas Challenge!
A message from Willow. The link is here.
Well done, Matt ! Always tough to write up a defeat, perhaps especially knowing that everyone will be suffering this morning from that very worst of football fates, trying to understand a single word of Unai Emery’s post match summary of a last kick, for us at least, defeat. I thought the poor, strange little fella was choking to death until I realised he was describing how Villa had scored their last gasp – literally in his case – win.
Yes, ok, he has done a wonderful job for Villa but that will in no way mitigate what he did to our team in eighteen months of unrelenting chaos and mismanagement.
Well done Villa. Time to rest some brave but weary Arsenal players. We have a great squad. We have to use it now to take the opportunity to recover and go again. That is not implying criticism of Mikel Arteta. He knows his players and who is capable of what. Maybe now though, recovery is required rather than preferred for some of our most consistent performers.
We’re still top. What better place to be ?
That’s a great review, Matt and I’m pleased you included so many Arteta quotes. Even the most casual reader will note the absence of a single reference to team selection opportunities nuked by the absence of world class players, nor the rustiness of returnees from A&E.
Comparisons in prior year comments from Klopp when Liverpool dropped to mid-table (“We can’t be competitive with all these injuries, yeah, Arsenal are top right now but wait till injuries hit”) and Guardiola when City’s challenge imploded (“Rodri’s absence would hurt any team in the league”) are illuminating. Mikel is an outstanding leader, his motivational and communication skills are remarkable. That Arsenal are still top of both the CL and PL tables is testament to his talents every bit as much as those of the players and their resilience.
Yesterday was a game that could have gone either way – and also a very good advert for the game. I thought that we were the marginally better team, deserved at least a draw and was devastated by their late winner. I suspect Saka (header) and Gyokores/Madueki (Rice cross) will rue the golden chances they missed – but hey, that’s football and Villa will say the same of their misses.
Sing : “We are top of the league; we’re STILL top of the League”.
All to play for and some great moments ahead, Holics. Collective chins right up.
Cheers, Matt. Not the easiest/lightest report to write, I guess, but it was actually easy to read, so fair play.
I’m sure the bosss would waive his half of the non-existent fee anyway. 🙂
Belgium next!
Matt,
A very sensible perspective , echoed in the comments by Trev, Btm and Ollie . If , at the start of the season we had asked , ‘ how would you feel if two weeks from Christmas you lead the league by two points going into the festive period and are 5/5 in the Champions League? ‘ . Who would have turned their nose up at that ?
I didn’t see the game live but Villa are a good side and we have had virtually every outfield player injured this season, some seriously. So heads up, let’s refresh the side for Bruges and ensure we are fit and well to take on winless Wolves next week and then rest up for Everton the following week .
Astonishing (for me) negativity being directed in many surprising quarters toward Martin Odegaard along the lines of bench him and play Eze. This based on yesterday’s game apparently. We live in strange times.
A very balanced and enjoyable report of a very balanced but ultimately disappointing match. Shit happens, especially when our key men are out injured or dead on their feet.
I thought we looked leggy after the second half surge that brought the equaliser followed by a further ten or so minutes of pressure that stimulated optimistic visions of victory despite Villa’s regular threats. Too many of our stalwarts were running on fumes in the last 15 minutes. Yet Rice, (aka Champion the Wonder Horse) still managed to gallop forward in added time and lay on a wonderful opportunity for a winner for the Gyök (had he not been on his heels) and Madueke (who should have had the wit to play the ball back across goal rather than lamely put it in the side netting from an impossible angle). That would surely have gained us the victory but it was not to be. Our subs weren’t sufficiently switched on and failed to take the chance just as several of our forwards failed to hit their first half shots hard enough to beat Martinez in the first half.
On Wednesday, I would like to see the players rested who have played out of their skins recently but who have looked progressively more knackered at the end of each of the last three games. That certainly includes Timber, Rice, Zubimendi, Merino and Saka. I wouldn’t object to a handful of kids leavening the likes of Kepa, Salmon, Calafiori, MLS, Nørgaard, Ødegaard, Jesús, Gyökeres, Madueke and Dowman. I wouldn’t object to those who do themselves credit in that game getting another opportunity to shine against Wolves with a few of our fittest first choice XI returning.
The big trophies are marathons not sprints but some of our best desperately need R&R. Then, we go again!
BtM @5, white sticks or padded cells in order there given that brain transplants have yet to be proven effective.
Well played, OM. A deftly handled short straw. Kudos to today’s photo editor, too.
Not a great day, but not a defining one either.
Many miles to go.
Thanks everyone, the good wishes are very much appreciated by all here but I don’t think any of us will be regular posters here even though a good half dozen of us are regular weekly readers . It’s The Arsenal for gods sake and it’s part of us but I’d think we’ll leave the contributions from himself as is and done.
I know me da emailed Dave Faber back and forth and they were good friends who helped each other out with words cos himself was proud of a printout of Dave messaging him on the morning of the FA Cup Final to see how he was because he hadn’t heard from him in a while.
I sort of understand and at the same time I don’t why Dave didn’t bar him because my da’s conversations were very much dependent on his facial expressions that went along with the words and to be honest without the smirk or eyebrow I can only imagine that the reason he wasn’t hoofed was because they had messaged one another and were in on the joke together. I dunno . Because he was just great fun to be around
Thanks everyone and please keep up your Arsenal sanity for those of us who read but don’t necessarily comment
UP THE ARSENAL
and me da was right to hate Birmingham- the big eejit wasn’t stupid
m
o
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Musical interlude …
🐮🐮🐄
@9,10 Excellent, Brendan. Great to see you here. Moooo made me smile and think of my engagements with himself
Brendan, your dad used to ban himself on occasion when he got a bit over the top but we all used to hassle him to come back ! I had a bit of a connection with him over his neck problems and like many others I thoroughly enjoyed his brand of madness.
Thanks all.
@5 BtM, yeah I saw Martin was getting some stick while I was writing up the report. To be honest I thought he’d played quite well all things considered. But then I also saw Hincapie, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Eze, Madueke and Gyokeres getting stick from various different people – not of the win together, lose together school of thought obviously.
@11 thanks bt8, I hadn’t listened to that in years 😃
Thanks Matt for a balanced and enjoyable review. Even though waking up early on Saturday to watch at 7:30 — junior refuses to watch recorded matches in the weekend if it can be avoided personal schedule wise, the indestructible logic being “what kind of supporter are you?” 🙂 — generally makes a loss like that even more painful, I felt that that all things considered it was okay.
Can’t win them all anyway, away against one of the in-form sides in the league, without three first choice center backs and a few others exhausted after a tough couple of weeks. A 1-1 would have been a fair result, and that last minute chaotic goal isn’t the kind we concede anymore, but they did attack with a bit more intensity and variation, and even though for the most part our defense and Raya did very well, some days in tight matches this can and will happen.
BTW, do a large group of people in the midlands and up in the north all have some kind of collective cognitive disorder? What’s with the incessant booing of Saka? As a teenager he missed a penalty for England 4+ years back in a final. And since then he has become one of the best and most consistent performers for the English national side. And an impeccable professional at every sense. I mean WTF?!
I thought Martin played quite well actually, controlling possession, delivering key passes, and that dipping, swerving shot from outside the penalty box — the ever-annoying Emi made a fine fingertip save — was hopefully a sign that he maybe returning to his best. Football has a short memory and easily forget performances, in my book Ødegaard at his best is an irreplaceable, unique, magnificent footballer that any team would be lucky to have.
Gyökeres looked unusually tentative after coming on, whatever maybe the reason he will need to get himself back to his more intense relentless version soon.
We have now already played United, ‘Pool, Toons, Chelsea, Villa (and Sunderland, the kind-of-surprise of the season) away in the first 15 matches, still top of the league despite having half of the midfield and attack not available for most of those fifteen matches, and now playing without the best CB pairing in the league (in world?). The uniqueness of that privileged position isn’t lost on at least here the ‘Holicverse.
@13, SP, an excellent post-match assessment by Clarkie. While it’s a retrospective, I’d already heard a great deal of what he says here during the game. Adrian’s an outstanding commentator, available ever match ‘live’ on Arsenal.com and I commend that avenue to all Holics who find the idiocy, incompetence, inadequacy, intelligibiltily, idiosyncratic indolence of some of the grossly overpaid gibberers on “other commentators are available” too much to stomach. (You even get the crowd noise and some great laughs chucked in). Give it a try.
BtM@18: The other antidote to cliched commentary and platitudinous punditry is to find a broadcast in a language you don’t understand. It will still make more sense.
First team squad players who haven’t been injured this season ( as far as I know)
Raya , MLS , Zubimendi , Merino , Eze, Dowman .That leaves almost twenty who have been injured and Gabriel, Mosquera, Havertz, Odegaard, Saka and Gabriel Jesus have suffered significant injuries .
Re Bath’s team nucleus, I believe Salmon and Dowman are too young to play in the Champions League . Maybe the Ox who is floating around ( and was a sick note in his time with us) might fancy a kickabout in Belgium ?
I think we may have to play Timber , Zubimendi , Merino and Eze on Wednesday . Our bench might be very strong too .
With the skids apparently under Xabi Alonso, I am relieved to see that there are seven PL managers with odds shorter than Arteta’s 33-1 to be the next Real Madrid manager, led by Palace’s Glasner at 10-1.
TTG@20: Dowman came on as a sub in the CL league phase game against Slavia Prague and was on the bench for the games against Athletic Bilbao and Olympiacos. Marli Simon is four months older than Dowman.
We’ve drawn Portsmouth, away, in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.
It will be our fifth FA cup tie against them, drawn away in all of them, and won all of them, although the 1971 tie went to a replay at Highbury. We got to the Final in three of the four years we played them in an earlier round and the Semi-final in the fourth.
Wasn’t intending to post here again until next Christmas and believe me the irony of me saying that considering who I am isn’t lost on me but I did have a good laugh to discover that himself self barred . Just brilliant and him all over . Maybe I have inherited the inability to shut up gene after all which is certainly news to me or maybe I always knew it , I’ll tell you next week and the week after .
I was talking to my mother today about everything and she said to message again to say thanks again to everyone and to let you know that you all were like a psychological crèche for her . She knew if me da was in here he was out of harms way and among friends who were described by himself as lots of doctors who are mad Gooners or lots of mad doctors who are Gooners . She can’t remember which . But Trev in the comments you said you knew about my da’s bad neck and if it was you who gave him the instructions how to alleviate the pain she thanks you personally. She helped him with the treatment and couldn’t believe the change in him . So if that was you Trev thank you from her . She knows he got advice from other people too but she can’t remember who and apologises.
I should mention too that she said he was really annoyed after finding out his friend had died in Aus/NZ . He used to print out the email Christmas cards that he was sent every year from the dogs and stick them up in the wee back kitchen. I remember them . Brilliant.
I really don’t know if he heard Dave Faber had died when we told him cos we knew he’d want to know but sure maybe it’s ok if he didn’t hear but that’s the end of my long story.
See you all hopefully next Christmas for another gloomy message
(he’d a liked that)
UP THE ARSENAL
and in defence and to somewhat climb down from asserting that me da didn’t like Birmingham, he didn’t, but one of his best friends and my brother’s godfather was from Kidderminster or as he called it “Kiddoyyyy” so maybe that’s were the Birmingham hatred came from . Not that it matters . I don’t like it either and I’ve only driven through it in a bus
Back to the football no more gloom
UP THE ARSENAL !!!!!!
Brendan – priceless. Please don’t ration yourself to annual visits. We really miss the clan arsed.
Re: Brendan. There reallycan be no doubt that the one who helped your dear da was indeed Trev who in matters medical may not be an “MD” but as a physical therapist has provided more useful advice thwn the average bunny, or indeed the average mongoose, canshake a stick at. There really is no use denying thwt that in addition to being a Gooner that you indeed are a Goonerholic (Forever) even if an Irish one.!❤️❤️❤️❤️
Also re: Brendan . merry Christmas to you, your ma and any other Arsenal fans inthe cba clan, and even though we may not currently have any actual Irish players, Kieran Tierney being about the closest we could fo, we have all the best intentions in mind. Season\’s best, and it’s our pleasure to keep hearing from you. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Pangloss but I don’t think we could live up to the hype
BT8 you obviously knew him too
brilliant he was such good fun ,my eldest is now living in London, he would have loved that . There’s pictures of me in London in probably 82 odds as a wee smiley face
@19 highly recommend that advice re a different language Ned, the commentators meant to be unbiased here but my son told me he is a well-known Arsenal fan so he gets very excited every time we score
TTG, Bath.
I liked your team nucleus for Bruges and if Salmon is good enough to be on the
bench for the PL I can’t see why we can’t at least give him a try against Bruges
He’s a CB so far and my XI in that case would be………
Kepa
White Salmon Hincapie MLS
Norgaard Nwaneri Odegaard
Madueke Gyokeres Gabi M
Of course Jeus and Dowman are options up front too
and I’d love to see them play but maybe safer to come
on later
I’d love to do a blast of great tunes all night but I can’t be arsed . That made me laugh . What he played mostly was old seventies German electronic music and dub reggae . I could probably do them as specialised subjects on Mastermind . It was always hilarious to see him trying not to open his mouth when somebody was talking about music cos he was an encyclopaedia but hated annoying people so it was hilarious . He was a very interesting person and we all knew that if he gave somebody the time of day they were probably an interesting person too . Although he had people in me mothers kitchen cooking soda bread that had just stopped to look at the house because it was an old cottage and some of them he regretted letting in. Who brings tourists in to make soda bread . Bananas
one I particularly remember
Hello Osaka Matt
We saw your message and loved it . The other bloody side of the world
Me da made sake I dunno if he told you but he loved the process cos it was different to his usual. Dunno if he drank it cos he made a lot of stuff and gave it away . I think my mother might have liked it otherwise I dunno . I can’t remember.
I’m more than aware I’m not as entertaining as himself so if I can’t think of another tune quick I’m gonna say adios amigos . Imagine knowing all the words to this at primary school.
Good to hear from you Brendan. Your da and I would occasionally spend hours here introducing each other to new music. I think he would have liked this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1R7hcVwlQE
Fantastic ecg he loved being played new music . I hope he didn’t torture you too much with stuff cos occasionally I thought or I knew that it was a test .
Listen here . That is shite was the response he loved
The Ramones was always his yardstick
People’s response to them would set in stone his opinions on those people’s opinions and to be honest I understand the premise . I’m still amazed I wasn’t called Johnny Joey Dee Dee Tommy instead of Brendan. I asked him in a joke and he said sure that would be ridiculous. He did one of his mafia impersonation hands and voice things . Bloody brilliant
Oh and my god
What all of us had to listen to from day zero . Including his own brothers I’m guessing when they could hear . Ivor Cutler . He loved Ivor Cutler. Look him up if you don’t know him . I agree with him in that regard . Just bonkers brilliant. We all probably can recite most of his stuff . I’m starting to fade here so apologies for that .
Mind you Ivor is calling
half our family were born in Scotland. Glasgow . Himself used to love making fun of the wain’s accents when they came visiting. And some of them could do a brilliant impression of him . Including the walk . He had sort of a militaristic walk . And he would crumble in a heap laughing. He was great fun to be around. I trust himself and Dave Faber have seldom stopped laughing up in the great god knows what .
Apologies my endeavour to do a tribute of tunes no one likes is over . I don’t have the night owl gene . Just imagine another few hours of nonsense instead . See you next Christmas for more disappointment
UP THE ARSENAL
Perhaps because of the quirk of the time difference, I had many a long conversation with cba in the depths of what would have been his night. Now I know he was making facial expressions all the time, those conversations become even more magical.
And in non-cba news, the latest GHF Predictathon leaderboard, for Matchweek 15, has been posted. We have a new leader and not one but two, count ’em, escapes from the relegation zone. You know where to find it…
And some weird country music for the black-coffee hours:
Sleeping has proved unsuccessful. North Bank Ned what did you yack about in the wee small hours if you don’t mind me asking . Did you know him from Highbury. He worked in London for most of the eighties .
and to be honest he couldn’t talk without eyebrows or nose flares . So facial expressions were him . He more often than not said nothing but he got his point across fine cos he couldn’t hide it
I’m off this week so I can lie in my bed but dear god what have you bastards done . You’ve made me stay up half the night talking pish trying to remember tunes . It’s no wonder me da self barred . 🙂
is this place a cult ?
am I now in the moonies?
all joking aside and sorry I wasn’t as funny as himself but I’m definitely knackered now so I’ll see you next Christmas for round two . Bye now
Brendan@43: Knew him only from this fine establishment. We talked about everything and nothing. He did the everything bit. I got an education in music from him, though. He had a wonderful knack of recommending tracks I’d never heard of but which I usually liked.
Ah, your da’s fondness for the Ramones. Couldn’t argue with him on that. I once made the mistake of saying how much I liked the Clash. I got an earful! But only respect.
One of my fave bands of all time, The Gits. I was at this show:
All women band from Indonesia playing metal:
Brendan,
Your Dad told me about his sake making and that your mum did
enjoy it too, though he wasn’t sure about it himself. He even asked my
advice but I had to own up that though I live here and like the stuff, I’m just a
clueless Londoner by birth so no idea how’s it made 😀
Enjoy your break and see you next time👍
And some weird psych punk
And I have no words. But I love this.
@41 Those Predictathon updates appear to be bending the space time continuum by coming along faster than weekly. And Ollie’s a mystic. Who knew?
Brendan
You made it just like the old days ( nights) on here . Don’t be a stranger !
Ollie a Mystic ? Shurely shome mystic ! I’ve christened myself the Kent Kickass. I’m a ruthless machine ( not)
One point re Europe – I don’t think the likes of Salmon and Dowman are eligible .
As for Portsmouth I saw the replay in 1971. Charlie George got a worldie after the first replay was postponed. Storey settled the tie with a penalty . In 2004 Henry and Vieira were clapped off with us 5-0 up and I believe C100 was at the tie in 2020 ?
Brendan – if you happen to drop in again it was me who sent him the instructions for his neck treatment – via the back channels (emails to you and me) so I don’t think anyone else would have known. If it helped him – he did say so once actually – I’m very pleased. If it helped all of you too that’s a big bonus.
Last night was quite like old times in Dave’s fine establishment. Here’s to Dave, cba, the coos, Ivor Cutler and to Brendan for reviving old memories. 🥃
What Bath said @57.
Well in for the half-ton, ecg. Appropriately eclectic choice of music.
Good work, Brendan and all.
Top of the League, what am I doing here?
Let’s hope I don’t tumble as badly as last season in the New Year!
And what Ned said. Twice.
Looks like Dowman, who was in the list, is now injured for a month or two and is being replaced by Jesus in the Group Stage CL squad.
Ollie@61: Max now gone in the fetlock? The injuries are never-ending.
re: Brendan @32. Great tune that one. I can’t argue with you or yer da about that one. He is the one who made me appreciate the Ramones. Check youtube for Rockaway Beach for one example
>>>>>>>