{"id":6809,"date":"2022-10-17T10:11:36","date_gmt":"2022-10-17T09:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=6809"},"modified":"2022-10-19T15:54:45","modified_gmt":"2022-10-19T14:54:45","slug":"a-healthy-habit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=6809","title":{"rendered":"A Healthy Habit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<a id=\"ew5B7579Q5RPjEO4JfJMfA\" class=\"gie-single\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1433862447\" 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:'ew5B7579Q5RPjEO4JfJMfA',sig:'zlV-Fz0wxMjs76-skEJrhH11BWwo7PJj_ISg3VC2p_4=',w:'594px',h:'425px',items:'1433862447',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src=\"\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\" async=\"\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>That was remarkable. Excruciatingly painful to watch for long periods of the game, yes, and not a little fortuitous for the Arsenal to be able to continue the positive run of results. And yet, remarkable for many other reasons. As the winning goal scorer aptly summarized after the match, this was an \u201cextra nice\u201d win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There was a suspicion even before the match started that after the arctic circle adventures on Thursday evening against a spirited team in unfamiliar conditions and pitch, and only returning on Friday afternoon, an away trip to Leeds \u2013 irrespective of their recent run of results \u2013 may prove a difficult challenge, physically and psychologically, for a young Arsenal side learning to negotiate an intense and hectic schedule, made all the more unreasonable by the demands of a winter world cup. The inimitable Marcelo Bielsa may no longer be gravely scrutinizing the proceedings from the Leeds bench, but the spirit of the Argentinian apparently lives on in this Leeds team and they, even though now managed by an Ivy League American, still try to play the type of manic football at hyper speed &#8212; especially at Elland Road egged on by the vociferous home crowd \u2013 that has been the hallmark of all Bielsa teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Arsenal started with the same line-up as the one that had triumphed against Liverpool last weekend, the versatile Tomiyasu retaining his left back role after the flawless performance in keeping Salah quiet, and Gabriel Jesus shaking off the bruises from that match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Ramsdale<br>White \u2013 Saliba \u2013 Gabriel \u2013 Tomiyasu<br>\u00d8degaard \u2013 Partey \u2013 Xhaka<br>Saka \u2013 Jesus \u2013 Martinelli<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">The first remarkable action of the match came from the officials as they were forced &#8212; by a power outage that disabled their communication system &#8212; to postpone the proceedings in the very first minute. In the current league season Arsenal has made a well-rehearsed habit of starting with conviction and purpose and then using those first period as a template for the rest of the game. That prolonged disruption \u2013 as players went back to the dressing room and then needed to warm up again \u2013 could not have helped, and even though same must be said for the Leeds players once the match has resumed it was Leeds who looked more energetic and purposeful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">In this first period of the game, Leeds allowed Arsenal possession in their own half, and not pressing very high up \u2013 which will change dramatically later in the second half \u2013 but meticulously cutting off passing lanes in the midfield and releasing runners from deep trying to exploit Arsenal\u2019s usual high defensive line. Leeds front three of Sinisterra, Rodrigo and Aaronson all looked highly capable with the ball at their feet. They earned a few corners, and from one such corner Ramsdale made an excellent reflex save, first of many in a manic evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Around 30<sup>th<\/sup> minute Arsenal created the best chance of the game until then, the ever-energetic Martinelli skipping past defenders and crossed from the left, Xhaka\u2019s dummy took a defender or two out but \u00d8degaard couldn\u2019t create enough space for a shot and he fed it to Jesus on his right. The Brazillian was justifiably disappointed with himself to see his chip missing the goal and landing on top of the net.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">That bit of play inspired Arsenal to improve their tempo on and off the ball, and to become sharper with their passing. Tomiyasu was playing much more centrally, in the Zinchenko role but understandably not with as much conviction, and that created a midfield overload which allowed quick switches of play from which both Saka and Martinelli benefitted. After a period of sustained pressure by Arsenal on the Leeds final third one such quick switch led to the goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">But it was not an Arsenal player that instigated the switch of attack. Rodrigo, their center forward, dropped back to help out in defending Arsenal attacks and when he received a pass from his teammate he sent a wild cross-field ball back towards his own goal, Saka own the header for \u00d8degaard who retained possession, and anticipating Saka\u2019s run sent a delightful through ball on the inside of the Leeds left back in charge of marking Saka, who from a tight angle finished the move with an unstoppable angled shot on to the roof of the net. A rare right footed finish from Saka, but carrying the signature qualities of ingenuity and enterprise that, along with a quiet but unshakeable self-belief, defines this extraordinary young talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Leeds 0 \u2013 Arsenal 1 (Saka 35\u2019)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">There were a few other half chances after the goal, \u00d8degaard took a few shots on goal but they all lacked enough power to trouble the keeper. Arsenal retained possession well, the defenders anticipated and intercepted Leeds moves, played out expertly from the back to bring the midfield and forward line into play, and at that stage it felt that it is Arsenal who would get the next goal. Arsenal has won every single match this season when they have scored the first goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">If any of us Arsenal supporters felt any complacency at the half time, first few minutes of the second half must have been a shock. It was definitely a jolt to the Arsenal players who were definitely not showing any signs of complacency but were simply physically unprepared for the waves of fast and relentless attacks that came from Leeds. At the start of the second half Leeds brought in their more established center forward Patrick Bamford for Rodrigo, and he was instrumental in triggering a very high press on Arsenal half. Suddenly Arsenal midfield lost complete control of the proceedings and as balls started to fly into the penalty box it felt like a Leeds goal is only a matter of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">From one such delivery in the box Saliba found himself in an uncharacteristically contorted body position and the ball bounced off his hand. Even though the referee didn\u2019t spot it himself VAR intervened, and it was rightly given a penalty. Bamford stepped up for his 100 th goal for Leeds, but his low shot went wide. Ramsdale, who guessed the trajectory of the ball accurately and dived in the right direction, might even claim that if the ball were goalbound he would have saved it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Ramsdale did need to be at his best and make a few more crucial saves as Leeds completely dominated the possession as by now a visibly exhausted Arsenal was simply hanging on. All eleven Arsenal players were behind the ball and busy defending, and unlike the season until now even when the defenders have thwarted a move and a counter-attack was on the passing and ball retention in midfield no longer had the sharpness to release such a counter attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">In addition to Ramsdale saves, and clearance and interceptions by the defense, the Leeds players too failed to shoot on target a few times from relatively close range. Even though the score remained in favor of Arsenal going into the final ten minutes of the match, it felt Leeds can equalize any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Arteta brought in Vieira for a completely exhausted \u00d8degaard, took White \u2013 who for the first time this season looked sub-par in his new right back role \u2013 out and switched to three in the defense, with Holding joining in and flanked by Saliba and Gabriel. Tierney replaced White to play as the left wing back and Tomiyasu reverted to his more typical right sided role. Eddie replaced Jesus, and I felt that this substitution probably could have been made a bit earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">This tactical and personnel tweak helped Arsenal to assert more control over the game, better nullify the Leeds attack, and start retaining more possession to be able to see out the match. Just when the match seemed more secure from the Arsenal perspective a wild sequence of events led to the final bit of \u2026excitement. Bamford chased a ball into Arsenal penalty box, Gabriel stood his ground, the Leeds forward barged into him, Gabriel fell and seemed to have lashed at Bamford with his legs as he was falling on the ground. The referee consulted with the assistant referee to award Leeds a penalty and give Gabriel his matching orders. However, VAR intervened once more, and after seeing the replay of the action himself on the screen the referee rightly rescinded his earlier decision and awarded Arsenal a free-kick for Bamford\u2019s foul on Gabriel, reducing Gabriel\u2019s red to yellow for the trailing leg offense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Beyond the obvious relief and the satisfaction of the three points at the final whistle, I felt that there were indeed a few positives. One is a refreshingly consistent use of VAR: at two key moments in the match VAR intervened and on both occasions the decisions were rightly changed. That is how it is meant to be used. From Arsenal perspective, despite being mostly outplayed and physically outperformed in the second half, I thought the young Arsenal players showed a remarkable degree of maturity in staying cool headed and resilient and give in to neither hubris nor panic nor petulance. This has not always been the case in recent years, and I think one of the Arteta mantra of \u201cready to suffer in difficult games\u201d now has a successful example of a template. There will be more matches like it this season, and every season, when things would simply not work for one reason or another \u2013 whether schedule congestion, or opposition\u2019s superiority on that day, or Arsenal players physical state, likely a combination of multiple such factors \u2013 but there can still be ways to come out victorious. Success can be, and often is, a self-perpetuating habit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Embed from Getty Images That was remarkable. Excruciatingly painful to watch for long periods of the game, yes, and not a little fortuitous for the Arsenal to be able to continue the positive run of results. And yet, remarkable for many other reasons. As the winning goal scorer aptly summarized after the match, this was [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"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\/6809"}],"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\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6809"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6809\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6820,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6809\/revisions\/6820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}