{"id":8202,"date":"2023-08-12T20:36:25","date_gmt":"2023-08-12T19:36:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=8202"},"modified":"2023-08-20T15:14:32","modified_gmt":"2023-08-20T14:14:32","slug":"confusion-reigns-all-around-as-arsenal-start-with-a-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=8202","title":{"rendered":"Confusion Reigns All Around as Arsenal Start with a Win"},"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\/1593114354\" 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\/1593114354?et=o6HquiJxThhF4ZLAr1bc5Q&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=BXDfJobsPnfbLljmMJlM-T_nDWUtfJT5JSt2H8u8rcA=&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><em>\u2018The best laid plans o&#8217; mice and men are gang aft a-gley,&#8217;<\/em> Rabbie Burns&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This quote from a man who is privileged to share his birthday with me occurred to me on the way home. Whether it was the effect of dining with two proud Scotsmen after the match or my natural poetic bent, it appeared an appropriate commentary on the \u2018Holicverse today. Ostensibly a 12.30 kick-off, the game began half an hour later than scheduled because Arsenal\u2019s ticketing system broke down before the match. My proudly proffered digital membership brought up the \u2018Access Denied\u2019 sign at gate D. One imagines the problems encountered by Pangloss in validating his ticket a couple of days ago were a precursor of the IT problems ahead. The fates had clearly decided that it wasn\u2019t a match that he should see because his car broke down&nbsp;<em>en route&nbsp;<\/em>to the match. He has our sympathies as has C100 who was taken poorly during the match and had to return home. He has our very best wishes for a speedy recovery. I\u2019ve heard from him while writing this report and he appears to be feeling very much better. One hopes the Pangloss vehicle can also be made whole very swiftly and inexpensively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These absences had the effect of decimating our first \u2018Holic gathering of the season which was confined to Ollie, Bathgooner , BtM and myself but a pleasant and lively time was had by the survivors. So, what did we have to discuss?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Firstly, and vitally we had an Arsenal win, a deserved victory but one that was much harder earned than appeared likely at the interval. The season began with a win but our performance created as many questions as answers. Pre-kick off (for those allowed into the stadium), the big question was not what would our side be &#8211; we thought we knew that &#8211; but how would we line up? Arteta\u2019s first league selection of the season was a very intriguing one and I would venture it caused Steve Cooper, the Forest manager, much vexation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Three obvious defenders were named &#8211; White, Saliba and Timber. Havertz and Nketiah both started. We had no clearly identified full-backs and Declan Rice made his league debut. When the game began we had partial answers. In defence, we were a four defensively with Partey pulling wide to right back but offensively we were a fluid three while Partey inverted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a three that was almost penetrated catastrophically by Johnson early doors when a fortunate bounce put him through between Saliba and Timber. Ramsdale handled the situation well, standing up until the last minute and psyching out Johnson who sliced wide. It was Forest\u2019s best and almost their only chance of the first half. While we took time to hit our stride we played some increasingly delightful and intricate football and we received our reward on 26 minutes with what I deemed to be our first shot. It owed much to Martinelli\u2019s delightful control on the left wing. His penetrating run enabled him to set up Eddie Nketiah with a back-heel and Eddie\u2019s opportunistic low shot from wide of the left-hand post took a deflection and beat Matt Turner making a quick return to the Home of Football.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Arsenal 1 Forest 0 (Nketiah 26)&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This gave us increased confidence exemplified by Bukayo Saka who receiving from Saliba twenty yards out arrowed a superb, curling drive into the top left-hand corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Arsenal 2 Forest 0 (Saka 32)&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From there towards half-time we exerted almost total control. Rice had a more than satisfactory debut. His intelligence, poise and accuracy enabled him to shield the back three and start positive attacking moves. He has the hallmark of top players in his ability to screen the pitch before receiving the ball. \u00d8degaard seemed to be everywhere and buzzed around to great effect and Saka and Martinelli worked very hard going both ways. At the interval we looked very comfortable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Half-time Arsenal 2 Forest 0&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jurrien Timber who had an excellent first-half, looking cultured and assured defensively, sustained an injury in added time in the first half. He returned after the break only to break down early in the second half. He was replaced by Tomayisu and we seemed to lose some fluidity after this. Forest were more direct, more robust and more competitive and fittingly for a team who signed thirty players last season, brought on a stream of substitutes. Their best hope of a goal appeared to be a set piece and in the second-half there were strong appeals for a penalty for handball from a corner when Rice appeared to be culpable. The footballing Gods smiled on us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just when it seemed that we would preserve a clean sheet, two of Forest\u2019s never-ending stream of subs combined to thwart us. An Arsenal corner on the right was recycled to Elanga who left Rice and most of the Arsenal defence in his wake and squared the ball to Awoniyi who touched the ball home. It was belatedly \u2018game on\u2019!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Arsenal 2 Forest 1 (Awoniyi 85)&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tension crept into the game and Arsenal who had subbed on Trossard for Nketiah now had to revert to a less sophisticated defensive model bringing on Gabriel at centre back for Martinelli. This was a frustrating and nervy ending and one sensed it was unnecessary without appreciating quite why this change had taken place &#8211; \u00d8degaard still bossed midfield, Saliba was commanding and Ramsdale relatively untroubled but when Michael Oliver blew eight minutes into added time it was more of a relief than a triumph!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Result Arsenal 2 Forest 1&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nevertheless, there was much to be encouraged about. Rice had an excellent debut and was foiled twice by Turner from crowning his debut with a goal. Saka received a heavy knock early on but was still able to create havoc and \u00d8degaard produced a captain\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If I had two concerns, one would be how seriously Timber is injured and the other would be how to integrate Havertz into this team. In two major games he has shown encouraging touches but an ability to be peripheral in a way that, for example, Trossard never is. Gabby Agbonlahor is apparently \u2018not having him\u2019 as I heard on TalkShite as I was driving home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is also one other general concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Could it be that, despite the innovation of Arteta\u2019s coaching, might I suggest that our style and our interchanges are so complex that some players seem to struggle to understand them? This will hopefully be a temporary problem and should become a permanent strength but one senses there will be a period of bedding down before our playbook is fully integrated into our way of operating. A point to consider and to discuss but at least we can do so with the comfort of a winning start behind us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Embed from Getty Images \u2018The best laid plans o&#8217; mice and men are gang aft a-gley,&#8217; Rabbie Burns&nbsp; This quote from a man who is privileged to share his birthday with me occurred to me on the way home. Whether it was the effect of dining with two proud Scotsmen after the match or my [&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\/8202"}],"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=8202"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8202\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8220,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8202\/revisions\/8220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}