This was much more than the classic game of two halves which we often reference in the blog. This was to be more precise a game of 2/3 and 1/3 and was a mixture of the soporific (so often the case with Saturday lunchtime kick-offs) and the highly intense.
The game began most agreeably with Arsenal tube station re-opening. C100 had been kindness itself offering me transport away from the game. I ended up providing it for an old friend and his son who I met en route to the match. I also had the pleasure of a pre-match drink with Btm and Bath Gooner and friends and family. What could possibly go wrong after such a pleasant pre-amble, albeit one rather confused by the sight of Dave Seaman in a half and half scarf. When I’m asked to put something into Room 101, half and half scarves will be my first deposit!
It was also interesting to talk to those around me about C114y and what their punishment should be. It is clear that a lot of Arsenal fans are very annoyed by the scale and intent of their cheating and the general feeling was that their aggressive stance would ultimately do them no favours when they come to be sanctioned.
Ned’s excellent preview had suggested we would see Madueke on the left and he was spot-on. Konsa and Havertz started despite concerns about fitness and MLS joined Declan in midfield.
The first half was both soporific and frustrating. Farke has drilled this Leeds outfit into a very well-organised, high-intensity side who looked to have copied several pages from the Brighton playbook. They operated an offside trap that was beyond the whit of the Arsenal attack as we got caught regularly. Though we had the lions share of possession we did very little with it. Havertz climbed to meet a Madueke cross but it lacked power and Leeds were more dangerous constructing overloads beyond both posts. Gudmundsson had an effort blocked by his own player Bogle, Raya juggled an Ampadu header and just stopped short of walking it over the line. Raya also made two fine saves from Gudmondsson and particularly a block at his near post from Bogle. Saka failed to convert a dangerous cross from Madueke but we weren’t able to develop much from wide as Gudmondsson marked Saka well and Madueke’s end product was as erratic as ever. In midfield MLS had some good moments but Rice was strangely subdued. If Leeds came under pressure they relied on their time honoured DNA with tactical fouling which earned Tanaka and Ampadu yellow cards.
It was a frustrating and flat first half and Leeds must have been much happier at the interval than we were.
Half-time Arsenal 0 Leeds 0
There were no changes at half-time and to general concern Leeds dominated the first part of the second half and looked increasingly dangerous. One good move by Arsenal saw Trafford make his first real save of note when Ødegaard met a cutback. This culminated in Leeds taking the lead when Gudmondsson pulled the ball back across goal from the left, Raya failed to intercept and Justin, who has previous on this ground, slotted home accurately with a rising shot into the left-hand corner.
Arsenal 0 Leeds 1 – Justin 55 mins
It couldn’t be said to be against the run of play but Arsenal did, finally, increase the tempo just as we did in conceding against Chelsea and the equaliser was not long in coming. A sustained period of pressure led to Madueke swinging a cross beyond the far post. Ben White headed it back into the centre and where you would possibly expect Havertz to be, there was Calafiori who daintily flicked the ball past Trafford from close range. I would have expected better from Trafford but was relieved he did fail to keep it out!
Arsenal 1 Leeds 1 – Calafiori 61 minutes
Ironically Arsenal had lined up three substitutes on the touch line but had drawn level before they took to the field. Gyökeres replaced Havertz, Timber came on for White, and Bruno Guimaraes replaced MLS. Arsenal now had a momentum that Leeds struggled to deal with and Bruno made an immediate impact with the imagination and verticality of his passing. He then made an even bigger impact when Arsenal constructed an intricate move following a quickly taken free kick and involving Ødegaard and Rice whose back-heeled flick gave Bruno time and space in the penalty area and he finished beautifully with a low shot into the left hand corner.
Arsenal 2 Leeds 1 – Bruno 71 mins
Leeds made a number of changes including bringing on the dangerous Harry Wilson but Arsenal were now the stronger side and both Gyökeres and Saka could have scored on breakaways.
But a hard fought 2-1 win was the sort of performance champions give when under par and it was a positive way to resume after the Brighton debacle. Inevitably after such a ridiculously long (and eventful!) interlull one sensed the team found it difficult to develop a rhythm and I must confess to some concerns about one or two of last year’s title heroes. My personal concerns involve Gabriel who appears to be less confident without Saliba beside him and perhaps controversially Bukayo Saka who looks nowhere near the Starboy who has illuminated our lives over the last few seasons.
But the season is young and we are very well placed and ready to develop a stronger rhythm as the season wears on. We now await the visit of Lille on Tuesday.
