{"id":4450,"date":"2021-12-21T22:37:56","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T22:37:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=4450"},"modified":"2021-12-23T21:10:31","modified_gmt":"2021-12-23T21:10:31","slug":"eddie-notches-a-hat-trick-as-a-new-star-is-born","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=4450","title":{"rendered":"Eddie Notches a Hat-trick as a New Star is Born"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\"><div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.co.uk\/detail\/1237370974\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div><div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:66.66667% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1237370974?et=QJOHiLANSxpDkqykIAVkhg&amp;tld=co.uk&amp;sig=Ow6OtgPStUnRB3ta_ArejWDCHnlldMHQqKPUldcaZ8Y=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A comprehensive win on a great night for Arsenal saw us prevail 5-1 over a spirited and enterprising Sunderland side. Eddie Nketiah made a very big statement with a predator\u2019s hat-trick but the biggest cheer of the night came just before the end when Charlie Patino slid home our fifth goal. Arsenal\u2019s history is studded with great stars called Charlie &#8211; Buchan, George, Nicholas and now, Patino?&nbsp;&nbsp;I was greatly impressed with C\u00e9dric, \u00d8degaard and P\u00e9p\u00e9 whose immediate opponent, Hume had a case of twisted blood.&nbsp;&nbsp;If Nketiah wanted to strengthen his hand in contract negotiations he has done so emphatically. We are into another semi-final and as pre-Christmas entertainment it was almost perfect.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On a cold, dank night Mikel Arteta chose to make a number of changes to personnel from the Leeds game. Balogun and Nketiah came in upfront and ESR and \u00d8degaard played in attacking midfield roles looking to play between the lines. The defence was completely altered with Ben White the only survivor from Elland Road.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It meant a change of shape with only one holding midfielder &#8211; and that was Mo Elneny! But the team settled quickly and played some enterprising, attacking football. Embleton almost put through his own net under pressure from Tavares on 10 but the first was only 6 minutes further away. A good out-swinging corner was met by Holding\u2019s header. Birch saved but Nketiah poked in the rebound with his knee inside the six-yard box.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Arsenal 1 Sunderland 0 \u2013 Nketiah, 16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We then saw Balogun in a couple of promising attacking situations which also illustrated his inexperience. One reverse pass by ESR should have been converted but the second goal was not long delayed. The much-maligned C\u00e9dric was combining well with P\u00e9p\u00e9 and cut the ball back to him inside the area. P\u00e9p\u00e9\u2019s shot was slightly deflected past Birch and we assumed that we had attained a comfortable lead.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Arsenal 2 Sunderland 0 \u2013 Pepe, 26&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sunderland with Pritchard, an ex- Marshdweller, particularly prominent had already looked lively going forward exploiting the fact that we only had one holding midfielder. On 30 minutes, they broke through the centre and Broadhead dinked a good finish over Leno to halve the&nbsp;deficit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Arsenal 2 Sunderland 1 \u2013 Broadhead, 30<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sunderland were looking very effective going forward although Broadhead had to be taken off with what looked like a hamstring injury. Arsenal retaliated with a fine left -foot volley from ESR but the interval came with Sunderland well in the game.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Half-time: Arsenal 2 Sunderland 1&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sunderland moved to a back four at the start of the second half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first moment of significance in the half came when Tavares skipped down the left and whipped in a fine low cross which Nketiah darted in to touch past the Sunderland keeper. Two goals both in the six-yard box. Eddie the predator!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Arsenal 3 Sunderland 1 \u2013 Nketiah, 50&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Embleton came charging back with a curling left-footed drive that struck the outside of the right-hand post. A super effort! Balogun had just been booked and he was then hooked (see what I did there?) for Granit Xhaka to provide a more conventional shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then a great moment! Odegaard played a superb ball into P\u00e9p\u00e9 who nutmegged his full-back Hume and laid the ball across for Eddie to complete his hat-trick from seven yards with a brilliant flick. Something for Mikel to ponder with the Aubameyang situation unresolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Arsenal 4 Sunderland 1 &#8211; Nketiah (hat-trick), 58&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lee Johnson would probably not have wanted his team to try to take on Arsenal in an open, very stretched game but his team showed considerable offensive quality. Their problem was coping with the movement and quality of Arsenal\u2019s front men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>P\u00e9p\u00e9 was enjoying himself tying Hume in knots and he nutmegged him again before finding \u00d8degaard who fired straight at Birch. Arsenal started to turn on the fancy tricks with \u00d8degaard underlining his creativity and flair with some delightful passing vision. Tavares whipped a great cross over and Nketiah\u2019s great anticipation and movement was not matched by his finish. I was really starting to wonder if Eddie might be the answer to the big questions facing Arteta! We decided to show no mercy and brought on Martinelli for \u00d8degaard who was quite superb and Gabriel for Ben White. If Sunderland wanted a respite they weren\u2019t going to get one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Would we see Charlie Patino?&#8221; was the question on most Arsenal fans\u2019 lips. That was superseded by whether Bailey-Wright might have seen more than yellow for an agricultural challenge on Martinelli who thankfully seemed ok. Then on 79 minutes, Patino gave the game an exciting patina (see what I&#8230;&#8230;.ok don\u2019t bother!). He replaced the excellent ESR. Martinelli was in the wars once more when he clashed heads with a Sunderland man. Again, both seemed ok after treatment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We looked as if we\u2019d earned a penalty on 84 minutes when Nketiah was brought down. It would have been a harsh award and the referee looked much more capable than the idiots who controlled (?) the match at White Hart Lane on Sunday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Talk about being damned with faint praise!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Arsenal\u2019s ability to attack with width using both full-backs who were excellent saw them dominate the latter stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then we had the most delightful moment of the night when P\u00e9p\u00e9 set up Charlie Patino for a crisp and hugely popular finish.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Arsenal 5 Sunderland 1 \u2013 Patino, 90 +1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This means Charlie has a goal every eleven minutes of his first -team career! It was the last significant moment of a very enjoyable night. One sensed even the Sunderland fans had a great evening.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Merry Christmas Gooners!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a id=\"7fZsQHhzQyxidHe6lAjaOA\" class=\"gie-single\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.co.uk\/detail\/1360235647\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'7fZsQHhzQyxidHe6lAjaOA',sig:'_Oez9Zo-Edbuaf2OdjyqbydyByCPN1QZJos2v8e4BVA=',w:'594px',h:'392px',items:'1360235647',caption: true ,tld:'co.uk',is360: false })});<\/script><script src=\"\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\" async=\"\"><\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Embed from Getty Images A comprehensive win on a great night for Arsenal saw us prevail 5-1 over a spirited and enterprising Sunderland side. Eddie Nketiah made a very big statement with a predator\u2019s hat-trick but the biggest cheer of the night came just before the end when Charlie Patino slid home our fifth goal. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4450"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4450"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4460,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4450\/revisions\/4460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}