Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
Effectively, this November is popping out to be a basic of the Arsenal style, as we suffered one other defeat, happening 1-0 to Inter final night time.
We began the sport in shaky vogue. Denzel Dumfries completely rattled the bar with a shot, earlier than they fizzed one other one extensive within the opening 4 minutes. Issues settled down a bit then, even when a few of our defensive resolution making was uncharacteristic. You not often see William Saliba and Gabriel go for a similar ball, however on one event they did, just for the house aspect to not take advantage of the chance.
There wasn’t quite a lot of risk from our first half efficiency, it felt like extra of the identical after Newcastle on Saturday, though there was a shout for a penalty when Mikel Merino was clearly caught within the face by Yann Sommer who didn’t seem to get any of the ball. VAR checked, VAR moved on in a short time, and I feel Inter acquired a bit fortunate there.
Luck is one thing that’s quick provide for us proper now – and I do know, you make your personal luck and so forth and so forth, nevertheless it felt typical that simply earlier than the break Inter acquired a penalty for handball in opposition to Merino. You see these given in Europe on a constant foundation, however I simply don’t see how that ought to be a penalty. The ball deflects onto his arm from ridiculously shut vary – what’s he alleged to do? It’s not at the same time as if he’s blocking a shot, however the referee pointed to the spot, and Turkish Bruno Fernandes put them 1-0 up.
Mikel Arteta wasn’t glad about both resolution, saying afterwards:
in case you’re going to offer a penalty within the different field, clearly that one must be as a result of he punches him within the head.
No matter the way you would possibly really feel about our efficiency, I can perceive that frustration. There was a half-time change, Gabriel Jesus approaching for Merino, and I feel we have been fairly a bit higher within the second 45. I’m not a fan of TNT Sport commentary at the most effective of instances, particularly that zany gimp Fletch who makes all of it in regards to the ‘bantz’ with the ex-players he was alongside him, however I didn’t actually agree with their rivalry we have been horrible within the second half.
Once more, I don’t assume we have been sensible, or close to our greatest, however we have been actually so much higher than we have been in opposition to Newcastle, and we dominated proceedings for probably the most half. Recreation-state might have performed an element as Inter have been glad to defend, however we had all of the ball and all the probabilities. Sure, Inter rested a few of their key gamers from the beginning, however introduced just about all of them on within the second half and it didn’t change a factor.
Arsenal had 13 photographs to Inter’s 1 after the break, creating 1.3xG to their 0.05xG (in case you’re into that type of factor), and we did have probabilities. Gabriel flicked a Bukayo Saka header goalwards solely to see it cleared off the road; Kai Havertz – our greatest participant on the night time in my view – compelled Yann Sommer into an excellent save after he curled an excellent shot in direction of the highest nook; and Havertz once more was denied by a superb block when he turned and shot from shut vary. The ball deflected simply extensive, which is kinda typical of the way in which issues are going for us proper now. One other night time it goes the opposite aspect of the submit, and we’re speaking a couple of first rate level away from residence in opposition to an excellent workforce.
So, we have been positively improved, however finally not adequate to get the purpose I feel we deserved. You couldn’t assist really feel that regardless of the dominance an excessive amount of was lacking. Gabriel Jesus was vigorous however supplied no purpose risk, Leandro Trossard had one other a kind of performances the place he was properly under his greatest, and it fell to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to fireplace in crosses from extensive areas which Inter dealt for probably the most half. Their centre-halves and wing-backs made a complete of 38 clearances on the night time.
We had dominance, however not sufficient craft or creativity. I feel you need to acknowledge it’s very arduous to interrupt down an Italian aspect at residence, and this Inter aspect are Italian champions who’ve but to concede a purpose in Europe this season. I additionally assume the way in which they celebrated on the finish was instructive, as a result of they knew they have been beneath the cosh – at very least when it comes to territory. They may barely get out of their very own half.
However, it doesn’t alter our must do extra when now we have that a lot possession. Ethan Nwaneri got here on with about 10 minutes to go, and had one glorious flip and shot from the sting of the world, however once more you have been questioning what may need been with a bit extra time from him. Individuals have talked about how he hasn’t performed as a lot as they might have favored within the absence of Martin Odegaard. The skipper made a short cameo final night time, and it was good to see him again, however there’s a giant a part of me that wonders what Nwaneri and Odegaard working in tandem seems like. Whenever you’ve tried different gamers, and different methods, and so they haven’t actually labored, what else is there?
Once more, Raheem Sterling didn’t get off the bench, and also you don’t want a PHD in Mikel Arteta to learn between the strains there. The previous couple of video games have informed us what the supervisor thinks of him proper now, and it’s a difficulty now we have to assume strongly about addressing in early, early January.
Afterwards, Arteta spoke positively of how his workforce carried out, however stated:
The truth is the outcome and we participated in that as a result of we had many conditions that we will resolve a lot better in entrance of purpose and rating at the least two objectives, after which extraordinarily annoyed as properly as a result of there are two choices that on the finish marks the outcome and the course of the sport.
So, you may be glad sufficient with the dominance – and maybe annoyed by the referee’s choices – however in case you can’t convert that into objectives, you have got a reasonably important downside. It’s one we’ve acquired to repair shortly, as a result of Chelsea on Sunday will probably be one other powerful away sport, and the very last thing we want is 2 weeks of introspection as we go into the ultimate Interlull of 2024.
The glass half-full outlook this morning is that we have been improved on how we performed in opposition to Newcastle, however that was a really low bar. The workforce appears like it’s enjoying, to make use of an outdated favorite, with the handbrake on a bit, and Arteta has to discover a technique to launch that forward of Sunday.
Proper, I’ll depart it there. We’ll speak in regards to the sport in a bit extra element in an Arsecast which will probably be arising for you a bit in a while this morning, so stick to us for that.
