{"id":6140,"date":"2022-05-08T05:36:22","date_gmt":"2022-05-08T04:36:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=6140"},"modified":"2022-05-09T12:59:08","modified_gmt":"2022-05-09T11:59:08","slug":"gunners-look-to-ditch-leeds-but-stoke-their-lead-in-the-race-for-a-champions-league-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=6140","title":{"rendered":"Gunners look to Ditch Leeds but Stoke their Lead in the Race for a Champions League Place"},"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.com\/detail\/1359710915\" 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:67.00337% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/1359710915?et=ntLXO7XnRCZzs9QZf0VWCA&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=WRAFG8MLYcHqxnTjC7nweOvogz_aOzbzqRUjrgP1GdU=&amp;caption=true&amp;ver=1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"594\" height=\"398\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>We got good news this week in the announcement that Arsenal\u2019s Guipuzcoan guvnor Mikel Arteta received a two year contract extension that sees him commit his future to the club through 2025, putting the club on a solid managerial footing for the next three seasons. &nbsp;Arteta\u2019s leadership has brought Arsenal, after a five year absence, to the brink of a Champions League return next season with four games left to play starting Sunday against Leeds United.&nbsp; Honing in on this week\u2019s challenge Arteta&nbsp;said on Friday that Leeds \u201cobviously are going to show how much they want to get out of [the relegation] zone [\u2026but for] us, it\u2019s the defining moment of the season, after everything we\u2019ve done, we want to capitalise on what we\u2019ve done in the last nine or 10 months.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;Reflecting on last week\u2019s \u2018ugly\u2019 win at West Ham, he added: \u201cHopefully, we can play better than what we did.&nbsp;&nbsp;It\u2019s true as well that we did a lot of good things in that game to earn the right to win it. The way we competed, the way we managed the strengths of West Ham.\u201d&nbsp; With that result Arsenal ensured themselves no less than a fifth place finish and a spot in next year\u2019s Europa League so one of Arteta\u2019s presumed targets for this season has already been met.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If Arsenal can defeat Leeds it would extend their lead over Spurs to four points, or one point fewer than we hoped before Spurs\u2019 surprise draw at Liverpool on Saturday.&nbsp; Going into the final three games the Gunners would need only three draws to finish in fourth and secure a Champions League berth.&nbsp; If the Gunners are then able to draw at Tottenham on Thursday that lead would loom large with only the Newcastle and Everton fixtures remaining, and with Spurs to play Burnley and Norwich.&nbsp;&nbsp;But that is cutting it very thin indeed so anything less than three points against Leeds is nothing we want to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hopefully the added goal threat of Eddie Nketiah can help Arsenal stretch defenses enough to make up a deficit or two in our remaining games if we find ourselves in that situation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nketiah failed to score at West Ham but did a lot of other things well, making our attack considerably more dangerous overall.&nbsp;&nbsp;As Lewis Ambrose reported at Arseblog, Eddie had more touches than Alex Lacazette recorded in any Premier League game so far this season.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nketiah carried the ball almost double the distance of Lacazette\u2019s single game high, and had four shots on target whereas Lacazette had no more than two in any game. &nbsp;Also, Nketiah\u2019s total of 25 completed passes was bettered by the Frenchman just twice in 20 Premier League starts.&nbsp;&nbsp;But all strikers are judged ultimately by their ability to stick the ball in the net, and we haven\u2019t seen Eddie do that consistently enough.&nbsp;&nbsp;That is not to say that Lacazette or Auba were scoring consistently either, but Arsenal may need Eddie to find his scoring boots in the next few games, and especially if our attacking \u201ctroika plus one\u201d of Tavares, Xhaka, Holding and Gabriel fails to come through as they did so surprisingly in our last two matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The dirty opposition<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>December\u2019s reverse fixture provided the Gunners with possibly the easiest three points they picked up this season.&nbsp;&nbsp;Thanks to two goals by Martinelli and one each by Saka and Smith Rowe, at Elland Road Arsenal cruised to a 4-1 win over an injury-hit Leeds side in that week\u2019s only league game not postponed due to Covid-19.&nbsp; Leeds will be out for vengeance, but more significantly they are still kicking and scratching for Premier League safety.&nbsp; New manager Jesse Marsch succeeded Marcelo Bielsa at the end of February with the side two points above the relegation zone, and the Yorkshiremen went on a five match undefeated streak until Manchester City\u2019s 4-0 win at Elland Road last Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Leeds had lost Marsch\u2019s first two matches in charge, but then defeated Norwich, Wolves and Watford, and drew with Southampton and Crystal Palace.&nbsp; When Bielsa was sacked Leeds had the leakiest defence in the league with 60 goals conceded in 26 games but since Marsch took over the reins, Leeds\u2019 defence has been considerably more solid, conceding only eight times in seven games until last week.&nbsp;&nbsp;Their goal difference, which was -30 at the time Marsch began, is still only -34 so the new manager seems to have made a positive impact on their competitiveness.&nbsp;&nbsp;But it will be essential for the Gunners to be combative, keeping in mind that Leeds are still fighting for their Premier League livelihood.&nbsp;&nbsp;After Everton\u2019s surprise win against Chelsea, Leeds now sit just two points above the relegation zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier has the most saves of any Premier League keeper this season.&nbsp;&nbsp;The outfield team that has featured in recent weeks includes ex-Arsenal youth player Luke Ayling at right back, two of the rotating trio of center backs Diego Llorente, Pascal Struijk and Liam Cooper, with left back Stuart Dallas who suffered a leg fracture in last week\u2019s game.&nbsp; Marsch will need to find a replacement for the player who one Leeds fan said has been the glue that helped hold the side together.&nbsp; Leeds could start with English international Kalvin Phillips in defensive midfield and Mateusz Klich in central midfield with Brazil international Raphinha on the right wing, ex-Manchester United winger Daniel James on the left, and Rodrigo and Jack Harrison playing central attacking roles.&nbsp; Striker Patrick Bamford is still out with injury as he has been for nearly the entire season so&nbsp;Marsch is desperate to find goals in the absence of Bamford and Stuart Dallas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Arsenal XI<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It would be nice to see Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey make miracle returns from their injuries but that looks like it isn\u2019t going to happen for the rest of the season so that leaves Arsenal with the same team that, perhaps with a hint of smoke and mirrors, has been doing the business the last few weeks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Ramsdale<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Tomiyasu&nbsp; White&nbsp; Gabriel&nbsp; Tavares<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Xhaka&nbsp; Elneny<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Saka&nbsp; Odegaard&nbsp; Martinelli<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Nketiah<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Come on guys, let\u2019s see your youthful exuberance one more time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The <\/strong><strong>\u2018<\/strong><strong>holics pound<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Seeing as there is so much tension around this game for both clubs, I\u2019m predicting a tight affair with one of our defenders squeezing a late winner for a brilliant one-nil to The Arsenal. &nbsp;But I wouldn\u2019t want to shut the door on an alternative scenario with a&nbsp;tension-releasing 5-1 with encore goal-scoring feats by the troika plus one, but adding Eddie\u2019s late penalty to the quartet of unexpected goal scorers.&nbsp; And if it doesn\u2019t happen?&nbsp; It\u2019s not even to be considered really, but if pressed I would suggest reverting to the first scenario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enjoy the game \u2018holics, whether you are huddling around the telly or attending at The Grove. &nbsp;Our chances to cheer on the Gunners this season are running out so let\u2019s make the most of it.&nbsp; The overall mantra?&nbsp; Just win, Arsenal!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Embed from Getty Images We got good news this week in the announcement that Arsenal\u2019s Guipuzcoan guvnor Mikel Arteta received a two year contract extension that sees him commit his future to the club through 2025, putting the club on a solid managerial footing for the next three seasons. &nbsp;Arteta\u2019s leadership has brought Arsenal, after [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6140"}],"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\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6140"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6159,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6140\/revisions\/6159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}