{"id":9483,"date":"2024-04-21T10:53:49","date_gmt":"2024-04-21T09:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=9483"},"modified":"2024-04-22T19:59:12","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T18:59:12","slug":"the-arsenal-just-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=9483","title":{"rendered":"The Arsenal Just Win"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<a id=\"pfT5YzWKT518LyadHx7eag\" class=\"gie-single\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/2149438640\" 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:'pfT5YzWKT518LyadHx7eag',sig:'RoDGYSJQvDFJSAtElX-kg4mOqpXI0GBlwJLD8waVvIs=',w:'594px',h:'451px',items:'2149438640',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><strong>Painting a Picture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I must admit I was tempted to submit only the headline and a picture of a relieved looking Arsenal fan at 05:30 of an Osaka morn as my review of our latest must-win game. However, here at GHF such gimmickry is frowned upon by the stern, serious guardians of the flame and so without further blithering here is my report of the goings on at Molineux yesterday evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Successive defeats had, understandably, left the atmosphere around The Arsenal camp somewhat fraught in the lead-up to a tricky away fixture. In the charming olden days, Mikel could, bestudded cudgel in hand, have strolled amongst the shaded groves of the faithful delivering savage thrashings at the first signs of defeatist bleating from the less resolute in the flock, however, in the enlightened modern era motivation is fashionably preferred to fear as an approach. Admirable no doubt, but several degrees more complicated and I was curious to see the results on the field, as well as the XI that Mikel would entrust front and centre. Although there were three changes from the starting XI in Munich (Jorginho, Tomi, Gabi out and Leo, Jesus and Jakub in) there was, more tellingly I feel, only one change from the XI that started against Villa \u2013 Jakub for Zin, a natural enough precaution away from home. The message was simple enough, I trust you, now trust yourselves and go win the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Wolves vs The Arsenal 1<\/strong><sup><strong>st<\/strong><\/sup><strong> Half<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Would it be a nervous, hesitant start? No, not really was the first question answered. We started well, dominating the first quarter of the game and Wolves barely got a kick in our half let alone a shot. Would we score early to settle the nerves? No was the answer to this question too. Not for want of trying as we had 6 shots in the first 15 minutes and could have scored in the first minute when a good effort from Kai was unfortunately straight at the keeper. In the second minute Toti went through Saka to \u201clet him know he was there\u201d as they say in the commentary box. Or in other words, one player ran up to another player and deliberately kicked him. To my annoyance, but not surprise, the referee did not book him. I am trying to remember a saying about evil flourishing when the mediocre Tierney does nothing but the exact wording escapes me. Anyway, as the 1<sup>st<\/sup> half progressed Wolves did finally start to gain a toehold in midfield, managing their first shot in the 23<sup>rd<\/sup> minute before coming far closer when Raya parried a fierce drive from Gomes onto the post. Shortly afterwards, William Saliba had uncharacteristically passed straight to Bueno on the edge of our area giving him a free shot, fortunately Bueno\u2019s shot did not live up to his name and he skewed it well wide. In hindsight that was probably the golden age of this game for Wolves. As half-time approached normal service had started to resume but I must admit to some concern. Our intent had been good, we\u2019d gotten plenty of shots in and mostly controlled the game, but the usual litany of \u201cnot quites\u201d were starting to accumulate in my notes &#8211; final pass just astray, slightly poor contact, couldn\u2019t get enough power on the shot, ball hadn\u2019t dropped kindly, misunderstanding between xx and xx player etc etc. Given that my in-depth pre-match analysis had clearly shown that not booting the ball in the net was fatal to our chances of winning the game I was starting to notice a worrying similarity to our previous two games. O me of little faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Wolves 0 The Arsenal 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal when it did arrive, at a very opportune moment just before half-time, was excellent. Kai swung a nicely weighted cross from the right-hand edge of the box to Gabi J slightly to the left of the penalty spot. Jesus held it well under pressure and laid a short ball off to Leo who calmly placed it into the top right corner. Another one for Leo\u2019s increasingly big Book of Important Arsenal Goals. Wolves complained, personally I couldn\u2019t see why at the time, unless they were telling the ref \u201cit\u2019s not fair they have better players than we do\u201d. However, later I read it was because Doherty fell over. I also read some nonsense about the goal being somewhat fortuitous \u2013 sheer jealousy and as Leo himself said afterwards \u201cobviously top bins, so it\u2019s really a great goal\u201d. Spot on Mr. Trossard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Wolves vs The Arsenal 2<\/strong><sup><strong>nd<\/strong><\/sup><strong> Half<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2<sup>nd<\/sup> half began much as the first half had with The Arsenal well on top and pressing hard for a goal. Actually, to my eye, we were more confident having taken the lead and I saw an increased assertiveness as we strove to kill off our weaker opponent. You\u2019d have thought Wolves, given their name, would have understood the sentiment but in fact they just started kicking us more. The ref did nothing. Unfortunately, though we created several more chances, our efforts did not bring a deserved second goal and as in the first half Wolves started to come more into the game for a while without ever really threatening. We were starting to look somewhat leggy when Mikel made his first sub \u2013 Gabi M for Leo \u2013 after about 70 minutes. The game meandered along after that with Wolves huffing and puffing ineffectually (they had 1 shot second half) until the introduction of Partey for Jesus on 80 minutes. What I had thought of as a slightly defensive substitution in fact made for an entertaining final 15 minutes. Freed from his defensive duties Declan started to run more at a tiring Wolves side and basically ensured we finished off the match well on top. His energy seems boundless and we could have scored 4 more goals in added time alone! First, he won the ball in midfield, fed a short ball to Bukayo who ran past a couple before blasting over the bar, next a dangerous Declan cross from the right byline was cleared for a corner, another shot from Bukayo followed and then we finally got the second we had been chasing all half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Wolves 0 The Arsenal 2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Declan piled forward once more Wolves defenders had to commit and the ball was laid off to Martin at the back post, his attempted cut back was blocked but came back to him and this time the captain made no mistake as he passed the ball into the net from an acute angle. There was still just time for Gabi M to miss a one on one with the keeper before the referee brought the proceedings to a highly satisfactory end, or least highly satisfactory to the travelling faithful whom I could hear singing away lustily in the background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A few thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was, in truth, a good time to play Wolves as they had several players out, notably in attack and had not been in good form. In other words, when their few chances did come, they lacked the quality to punish us, which made for a more comfortable game and a record 6<sup>th<\/sup> consecutive clean sheet away from home. I would give a lot for a lucky 7<sup>th<\/sup> at the Spuds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just my opinion but Wolves should have finished with 9 men. Kilman (straight red) and Toti (2 yellows) should both have gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We showed huge character in adversity again and I love this side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We (including myself) have talked about a lack of energy especially 2<sup>nd<\/sup> half in the last two defeats but actually at the end of this game Declan, Bukayo and Martin were happily piling forward and running back. There have been some fair points made about under-utilization of the squad but is the issue more mental than physical? The old chestnut of the difference a goal makes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The final thought to Mikel \u201cI didn\u2019t think it was our best performance. Today was all about the 3 points and we got them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chelsea next, just win.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Embed from Getty Images Painting a Picture I must admit I was tempted to submit only the headline and a picture of a relieved looking Arsenal fan at 05:30 of an Osaka morn as my review of our latest must-win game. However, here at GHF such gimmickry is frowned upon by the stern, serious guardians [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"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\/9483"}],"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\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9483"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9494,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9483\/revisions\/9494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}