Arsenal Matchday Reports & News

[Darren]

Premiership Round Eleven - Crystal Palace 0 - 4 Arsenal

" The perfect way to bounce back after our defeat in the last round which included a hattrick from Alaxender Isak taking his tally to ten for the season now after Correa had put us in front. We hav struggled in games against Palace on the whole as Lee does set up well but today we took our chances and were solid at the other end of the pitch.

Elven games gone now and we are in a very good position in the league and will hope it continues. Next up in the Premiership we are away against against Barnsley.

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[Darren]

Champions League Group Game Three - Arsenal 2 - 1 Barcelona

" One of the toughest fixtures this against Barcelona, the current holders of the trophy but w managed to get a vital win to make it two wins out of three in the group stage. Livi's reputation in the game is up there with the best and his record speaks for itself so to get a win must mean we played well and we did. We are in one of the toughest groups this season and the return of two wins from three and sitting top of a very tight table is good going although we know that this group is far from over with some very tough games still to come.

Good to see Correa keep his scoring run going with the second goal coming from Thuram, both goals coming from midfield but the most pleasing this was to see how many chances we created against a top side that is always so well organised ".

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[Darren]

Premiership Round Twelve - Barnsley 3 - 2 Arsenal

Round twelve saw Arsenal pick up their second defeat of the season although a result that they certainly didn't deserve to be on the back of leaving a frustrated Gunners chief after the game. It was Arsenal who went in front twice through Isak and Correa again but were pegged back and then crumbled at the back to give Barnsley the all important fifth goal and the eventual winner.

The Arsenal boss spoke after the game ;

" I dont think we have played better than that all season really, a very good performance but we come away with nothing to show for our efforts. No disrespect to Barnsley at all, a great win or them but looking at the stats, we deserved something from the game, a point at worst but to walk away with nothing is very disappointing. Luckily some of the other results went our way so in terms of position in the league, we still stay near enough ".

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[Darren]

Premiership Round Thirteen - Arsenal 1 - 1 West Ham United

Round thirteen saw a London derby with North meting East with West Ham next to visit the Emirates. Both sides have enjoyed very good starts to the season and although it was points shared, it will be Arsenal who will feel hard done by and will look at it as two points dropped after a dominant performance that saw them take the lead through Chiesa only to concede soon after and not take any more of their chances in a game that they were the better of the two sides in.

The Arsenal Manager spoke after the game ;

" Looking at the start to the season that West Ham have had, we expected a tough game and put out a side we felt could get the job done and all three points and the stats will show we deserved them but credit to them, they showed just why they are where they are in the table. If only games were won on stats we would be a lot higher than we are but none the less, we could have lost it which would have been harsh, we deserved more but it wasn't to be today ".

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[Darren]

Champions League Group Game Four - Barcelona 0 - 4 Arsenal

" The draw certainly wasn't kind to us and we found ourselves in one of the toughest groups that included the current holders of the trophy that we are all fighting for and getting hammered by Inter in the opening game gave us an insight just how tough the group was but to be sitting here on the back of a double win against one of the best Managers in the game gives us a lot of confidence of making it out of the group stage.

Not many sides will face Barca in their own back yard and walk away with the win we did but we also know we had a bit of luck with them being down to ten men when we were leading two nil but none the less, a top side and Manager in Livi was always going to be a tough ask to get anything from but we did it in a fixture that very few look forward to because as we have seen, they get the results but today it was a day to remember for us.

Two games left and we sit top of the table, far from over with a home and away game left with a win needed to make it through so for us to be in this position is an achievement in itself when you look at the quality of teams and Managers in the group ".

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[Darren]

Premiership Round Fourteen - Burnley 5 - 3 Arsenal

" To score three away from home and walk away from nothing in a game that we were the better of the two sides in is a bitter pill to swallow in all honesty but yet again, I cant fault the performance by the players in todays game but I keep fining myself wondering how we didn't take anything from the game. Taking nothing away from Burnley, they are a strong side and a team that we have had mixed results over the seasons but maybe today we a bit too see through in our approach. We decided to keep the same set up that beat Barca in our last game and we came up short, its the way the cookie bounces, bet Barca away and then lose to Burnley the next game.

Pleased to see both the strikers get in on the goals again and luckily some of the results in other gams went our way but we do need to be turning the good performances into wins rather than defeats ".

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[Darren]

Premiership Round Fifteen - Arsenal 5 - 0 Blackburn Rovers

Round fifteen saw Blackburn Rovers visit The Emirates Stadium looking to take advantage on a period of stop start form that Arsenal are going through but it was the hosts day as they got back to winning ways with 5-0 demolition of Rovers.

It was clear from the off that the home side were up for the game and a return to the starting eleven for Midfielder Pedri was clearly the right decision by the Manager after he put Arsenal ahead after twenty two minutes. They then went from strength to strength with goals from Locatelli and a double from Isak to make 4-0 at the break. The second half did see another goal this time from the in form Correa to make it five and all points to Arsenal to a happy gaffer ;

" After a few games where we have been the better side but got nothing from the game, it was pleasing to see us play well and get what we deserved. You get some games where everything clicks into place and this was one of those. Good to see four different scorers especially Isak and Correa who are in great form right now but as we enter the next batch of games, its going to see a few hit their minutes for the season which then allows us to give some of the others a chance to chalk up some minutes and get those in sooner rather than later ".

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[Darren]

FA Cup Quarter Final - Manchester United 2 - 0 Arsenal

" We gave it a good go against a decent side and set up to be tough to break down and despite one of our best players being sent off and of our best players being injured, we getting to 0-0 at ninety minutes would have been a good result in the league but as extra time went on we just struggled a bit, who knows what would have happened when Steve's players didn't have a clue what they were doing for half hour haha but its all ifs and buts. Would have liked to have got further than the quarter finals and another day we may have done that but today it wasn't to be.

Two important players out for the next game will some much needed minutes to others in the squad in a game we need to bounce back from but gutted to lose at this stage ".

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[Darren]

Premiership Round Sixteen - Southampton 5 - 0 Arsenal

" Well we got exactly what the stats suggest we should have got and the only consolation we can take is that it wasn't by more goals that we lost by. Injuries to two key players and one going off injured early on didn't help our cause but in all honesty, I think it was one of them games where no matter what we tried we would have lost as we were second best throughout and offered very little which is rare for us as we usually come back and have a go but they kept us quiet. Certainly one to put behind us and focus on the next "

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[Darren]

Premirship Round Seventeen - Arsenal 1 - 1 Spurs

The first of this seasons North London derbies took place and it was honours even despite the visitors walking away feeling they deserved more than a point which Arsenal can have no arguments with.

Another goal from Joe Gomez put Arsenal in front and at half, despite being second best, many were expecting a decent half time talk and an improved second half but it wasn't the case and they gifted Spurs a goal when Dean Henderson fouled Bergwijn on the edge of the box with many expecting a free kick but a penalty was awarded which was scored by Boadu to make it a point a pice in the derby.

The Arsenal boss spoke after the game ;

" Disappointed to drop points via that way because it didn't look a penalty so we feel hard done by on that. Despite them having more of the game we did keep them at bay until the penalty and did so after it was scored but we could trouble them at the other end but its another point on the board ".

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[Darren]

Champions League Group Game Five - Arsenal 1 - 0 Man City

We went into this one in a really strong position in the table after some good performances following the first game thumping by Inter and this win sees us not only secure the double over Man City, but also confirms our place in the knockout rounds, finishing the group stage in first place with a game to go which is superb given the quality of sides in the group and after we were well and truly beaten in the first group game, I didn't expect this to happen but we've played well since and deserve it.

A big last game of the group with us facing Inter while City face Barca who have nothing to play for so its between Inter and City for second place.

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[Darren]

Premiership Round Eighteen - Wolves 2 - 5 Arsenal

We seem to either score five or concede five lately but today we were on the right side of the five against with a win away at Wolves that although we own, the stats do prove it to be a bit harsh on Wolves who had a player sent off which certainly helped our cause. At four one up at half time we were in control of this one but Wolves did cause us problems but we were strong at the back and took our chances up front with a double each for Chiesa and Correa and another for Isak who is proving to be a really good signing for us with his tally now at seventeen for the season at the half way stage so a great return for him and a good second half could see him beat our record scorer Jesus' tally for the season which he is on course to do.

As we reach the half way point of the season, sitting in fifth place well with in touching distance of the leaders and minutes being secured by the squad players is a good return given the changes we made pre season to the squad so all in all, its going as well as we could have hoped for.

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[Darren]

Premiership Round Nineteen - Arsenal 1 - 0 Manchester United

A win from a fixture that we have had mixed results from over the seasons was much needed to keep the pressure on our opponents in the table and it came via a rare goal from Thuram shortly after half time to secure a very good three points. Hardly a classic by any means and we perhaps rode our luck at times but I feel we were worth something from this one so to get all three points is a great return.

The table is so close from first down to eighth position with us occupying fourth place, just three points off Man City who move into first place at the expense of United after they dropped points today. Still a long way to go but Id have bitten your hand off if offered this position at this stage of the season.

Next up, the last group Champions League game with nothing riding on it for us so it may be a chance to field the squaddies and get most of them their minutes and eas the pressure going into the second half of the season.

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[Darren]

Champions League Group Game Six - Inter Milan 2 - 0 Arsenal

With the group stage already secured we had nothing to play for in this one and could have easily given minutes to the squaddies and tick that box for the season but we opted against that because to keep it fair in the other fixture but none the less we were beaten against a decent side but its not the end of the world with the group stage already decided before the kick off.

In what was arguably the toughest group in this seasons competition, making it through is an achievement in itself so on that front I'm well chuffed and for the second sason on the trot we make it through to the knockout stages and will be hoping to get trough the next round.

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[Darren]

Premiership Round Twenty - Everton 1 - 1 Arsenal

Next up for Arsenal in round nineteen was an away trip to Merseyside to face the blue half of the city with Arsenal looking to make it three wins on the spin and keep the pressure on the sides above them, arguably a fixture that they should be looking at as a winnable one, it was anything but and despite taking the lead shortly after half time through the in form Correa, another lapse in the Gunners defence allowed Jarod Bowen in to get the home side level that sees Arsenal once again drop points from leading a game.

The Arsenal boss spoke after the game ;

" It is frustrating because yet again we drop points from a winning position, something that is creeping back into our game against just like it did last season. On paper maybe we should be winning games like these but hindsight is great but we only have ourselves to blame for switching off at crucial times and not pushing to get the important second goa and kill the game off. Everton are having their own battles to stay in the league and Mike is doing a good job of trying to get away from the relegation zone, but it would be harsh of me to say we should have won when they more than deserved the point and on another day could have made it all three. If we are to get to the position where I feel we can, we need to take a step back and put the wrongs in our game right ".

Meanwhile, Arsenal are reported to have agreed terms to sign Italian Defender Luca Ranieri with the twenty four year old set to be in the squad for the clubs next game against Newcastle United back home at the Emirates.

The Arsenal boss confirmed the reports after the game ;

" I believe its all done and agreed but am still waiting to hear that its 100% completed, it will be a welcome addition to the squad going into the second half of the season where injuries and suspensions will start to rear their head into the roster and although he's a little below the level of player we wanted, he will more than do job for us ".

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