Arsenal: Szczesny, Chambers, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Alexis, Welbeck
Subs: Martinez, Bellerin, Ramsey, Campbell, Rosicky, Walcott, Podolski
Arsenal took three precious Premier League points at the Stadium of Light this afternoon but were thankful to Sunderland for two catastrophic errors which Alexis was only too happy to take advantage of.
Arsene Wenger chose to keep Nacho Monreal at centre-half but was forced into a number of other changes with Mikel Arteta replacing the suspended Jack Wilshere in midfield while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came in for the rested Aaron Ramsey. There was something of a tactical change too with Cazorla starting on the left with Alexis down the middle behind Danny Welbeck.
The home side started nervously on the back of their 8 goal thrashing last weekend, and the opening stages of the game were played primarily in their half. The nervousness was evident when Vito Mannone fumbled a low Oxlade-Chamberlain cross, but Sunderland did enough to get the ball away.
When Arsenal had the ball Sunderland got plenty of men behind it, denying us space, but Danny Welbeck had a good go in the 15th minute. He cut in from the left, onto his right foot, and fired the ball not far over the bar.
Jack Rodwell was lucky to escape without even a booking for a two-footed challenge on Calum Chambers in the 20th minute, as was Wes Brown when he clearly impeded Oxlade-Chamberlain’s run just outside the Sunderland area. So it was no surprise when referee Kevin Friend booked Kieran Gibbs for a foul in the wake of the latter bad decision.
Knowing the ref was on their side seemed to galvanise the home team, and they had a period of pressure. But soon Arsenal had the lead. Mertesacker hoofed the ball clear from inside his own box, it fell to Wes Brown in the centre circle. Under pressure from Alexis he lost the ball, the Chilean scampered towards goal and calmly chipped the ball over Mannone. 0-1.
It was almost two a minute later when a fizzing Cazorla shot drifted just wide of Mannone’s far post with the keeper beaten. Seb Larsson picked up a yellow card for raking his studs down Alexis’ Achilles, it was the only way they could stop the live-wire forward.
The half rather drifted to its conclusion with lots of Arsenal possession and not too many chances, but with the one goal lead intact.
Sunderland began the second period well, with a nice break down their left and a bit more zip to their passing. After Danny Welbeck picked up a very harsh yellow for diving, Jack Rodwell tested Szczesny with a downward header to the near post but found the Polish stopper equal to it.
Mikel Arteta was the next player to be booked for a high challenge on Rodwell which caught the Sunderland man in the face, the skipper could have no arguments. Alexis had a shot from 30 yards which was easy for Mannone, but the game was played in midfield for the most part with both sides cancelling each other out.
There were more cards than incidents with Cattermole and Wickham going into the book for cynical fouls on Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arteta, before Kieran Gibbs had to leave the field through injury, replaced by Hector Bellerin. It meant a reshuffle at the back with Bellerin going in at right back, Chambers to centre-half, and Monreal to left back.
After good work from Monreal down the left, Welbeck headed a presentable chance over the bar. At the other end Szczesny came out to head the ball away, it rebounded to van Aanholt who tried from distance to catch the keeper out of his goal but fired wide.
Arsenal sat deep in the final stages allowing Sunderland to put some pressure on, also looking to catch them on the break. Cazorla, Alexis and Welbeck had a three on three but dilly-dallied and Cazorla’s shot was saved. As Sunderland pressure grew, Hector Bellerin and Cazorla had a chance to seal the game but again the final part of the move was sadly lacking.
The little Spaniard, so good technically, then shot over the bar from the edge of the box after being set up by Welbeck. Tomas Rosicky was brought on for Oxlade-Chamberlain as the game moved into the four minutes of added time, and again Cazorla missed a good chance, this time set up by substitute Aaron Ramsey.
However, the nerves were settled in the 93rd minute when Alexis got his second of the game. Sunderland snuffed out another played the ball back to Mannone, his touch was heavy, Alexis was on hand to slot the ball home from close range. 0-2.
You had to feel for the former Arsenal keeper but from an Arsenal point of view we needed those points badly.
Now a week to get legs ready for our next game against Burnley.
Another sloppy performance and very lucky, scrappy win. With the exception of Sanchez, who has run non-stop every match and has practically been the only outlet for every attack, and Monreal, who has become a very reliable utility man at the back along with providing probably the only half decent cross of the match, the team once again failed to gel together. Players like Cazorla just seem to have got out of the wrong side of bed this morning and Szczesny is just losing his head at times – almost gifting Sunderland a goal with his “clearing” header. Quite honestly… Read more »
Wait, we’re in the title race?
We’re only two back of West Ham with 29 to play. Woo hoo!
Sunderlucked.
lighten up mate, the arsenal have won
It’s going to be a funny old season.Man c lost,Liverpool draw .Trouble is its opening up for Chelski every week.
As for us 3 points today still only one defeat,no midweek game,Burnley next week.
Feeling quite good.
Thank God for alexis!
I didn’t think Bergkamp had anything to do with his arrival, though?
…although I guess Dennis *does* work in mysterious ways.
Gibbs injured. Just what we and he needs.
Gibbs injured. Just what we and he needs.
What a bummer, he has been ace so far this season. I really hope it was a minor niggle or nip. The Force be with you Kieran, get better asap.
It wasn’t great, but it is a win.
As it stands: we are not playing well, could almost field a side of injured and recovering players, but are still bumping along.
There are plenty of reasons to believe it will get better, now we just have to hope to keep going and try to build some confidence.
Yeah Cazorla didn’t have one of his better days but he did do one thing which he hasn’t done since his first season We knew Sunderland would be more defensive after last week so it was refreshing to see Cazorla shooting from distance, even if he misses it means the defending players have to make a choice, hold their ground and let the two legged more than capable cazorla have a pop Or close him down and create the space Wish we would do that more, its easier to defend against a team you know don’t shoot from distance because… Read more »
Actually we are taking more shots from distance than any other team in the league… Most of those shots aren’t even reaching the net. Player movement in the final third is not effective at the moment. I recall a break around the 70th minute and the field was open but then Cazorla, Sanchez, and Welbeck all were within 20ft of each other so they didn’t stretch the defense at all with the skill and pace available and it fizzed out. We were still slow to open up the defense with our passing in the final 3rd; the only times we… Read more »
all that matters is that we got the 3 points . it means we have now got 2 wins out of 2 since the hull disappointment and results is what we need to get the confidence back to perform
sanchez is the best player at the club for years now
yep, and with all the drama, sub par performances, and griping, we are only 3 points behind man city
Too right. Headlines on the BBC say “Sunderland errors gift Arsenal victory” and I don’t give a rat’s arse because I’m a happy gooner tonight. From my very biased point of view I’ll be laughing my head off if we beat Burnley next week the same way.
ALL HAIL ALEXIS THE SANCHEZ
Don Alexis the Tireless Tractor Sanchez!
alexisnt chamberlain wasnt so good today though 🙁
thank goodness for Alexis!
Two goals for Sanchez. Two assists for Sunderland.
Sunderland 0 – Alexis 2 !!
More like:
Sunderland 0-2 Sunderland
Only one Alexis
Well, Blogs, you got your scrappy clean sheet. Gotta say, I love how the 4-2-3-1 looked this game. Its advantages are manifold: 1) More bodies at the back, less likely to get caught out on counterattacks 2) This allows our fullbacks to push forward with greater aplomb 3) When we are defending, we naturally fall into two solid blocks of four (4-4-2) 4) That means it’s relatively clear whom everyone needs to pick up 5) It frees up the #10 (Alexis this particular game, but think Wilshere or Ozil too), because two men aren’t occupying the same space and trying… Read more »
True, and Flamini and Arteta really did well to know who was going forward and who was not.
Arteta rarely goes forward and having him as the pivot today really showed his class as opposed
to having Flamini being our defenders’ outlets. The Frenchman made some good runs from midfield
and wasn’t put in a position where his lack of skill on the ball was a liability. Even though I would
still like a proper cdm to replace Flamini, our lego-haired Spaniard did well to ensure our opponents
didn’t get close to causing turnovers at the halfway line.
Not very good (again), but three points is three points. Thanks, Vito.
Alexisfuckinawesome
Dear Bergkamp, leave our players alone! Enough injuries!!!!!!
What?
Bergkamp = God. Therefore Dear God…….
Alexis is simply amazing! The rest? Not so much.
JUST UNBELIEVABLE! It’s written all over Alexis’ face when he scored the second. We barely deserve to win, and we’ve been gifted both goals really. But you should give Alexis credit for the pressure and huge effort he is putting in. Can’t recall the last time we’ve been that poor. And it’s not just one game, it’s been like this for weeks. On the edge of the opponent’s box it’s pass pass pass pass pass pass… F***ing shoot the ball damn it!!! And all those chances missed at the end of the game…ughh Some of our players have really been… Read more »
Can’t remember the last time we were so poor? Didn’t see the Anderlecht or Hull games then………..
What master said. Mediocre as the game was today, it was infinitely better than the Hull or Anderlecht matches.
All hail Alexis.
Everyone else… meh.
Sanchez is definitely the best player in the league right now. He is literally carrying our As* by himself. Such energy and passion.
What do Campbell have to do to get a start?? Surely he will get one now after two poor displays by the Ox, right? RIGHT?
Alexis is not the best in the league, Paddy Mcnair is the best.
Well done Alexis, at the moment you’re showing the others what to do.
I wish we would take some more shots. Always trying to walk it in to the net.
Good to see shit performances being rewarded. This should lift the players. And if it doesn’t then they need to take a good long look at themselves.
Gotta say, I love how the 4-2-3-1 looked this game. Its advantages are manifold: 1) More bodies at the back, less likely to get caught out on counterattacks 2) This allows our fullbacks to push forward with greater aplomb 3) When we are defending, we naturally fall into two solid blocks of four (4-4-2) 4) That means it’s relatively clear whom everyone needs to pick up 5) It frees up the #10 (Alexis this particular game, but think Wilshere or Ozil too), because two men aren’t occupying the same space and trying to do the same job 6) Put Ramsey… Read more »
Stop me if you’ve heard this before.
(Damn duplicate posting.)
Another pathetic perfomance. Thanks Alexis, And thanks Manone
I’ll take 29 more ‘pathetic’ 2-0 victories.
i would take them as well, but wont change the fact that it would be with a team playing poor and then we wont be able to make fun of the likes of chelsea for winning playing badly as they used to do since we would be doing the same
I think it was important to win and keep a clean sheet because the form and confidence of this team is pretty low at the moment. The second goal is a bonus. If Cazorla was on form, we would’ve scored 1-2 more.
We capitalised on errors, just like Hull did against us last week. We deserved to win.
Three points even if it was a scrappy display. I’ll take the win, thanks, and the morale boost. We keep winning, the performances will come.
I nearly broke my hand in frustration watching that. I am happy for 3 points but the performance stunk. We were lucky lucky lucky.
Sanchez must be in the gym alot as he is carrying everyone.
Lucky they were playing Sunderland today
Some of those Cazorla shots haven’t come down yet.
Darn only time I miss an Arse match , we win, Very rare event these days. Than again it could be more of young Jack not playing than me not watching.
Maybe a little of Column A and a little of Column B.
Please don’t watch the Burnley match just to be safe.
3 Points and a clean sheet which is great but we are still not at the team performance i expect from arsenal however i dont mind continuing to wait for us to click as long as we keep getting 3points.
i dont care if they’re are too small or you have sent them half way around the world, Santi please find your boots from last season and put them on.
I agree with Gonnernow….I am perplexed as to why Campbell can’t get a run…..rubbish play in front of him / 100% fit / gives us something were missing…I think it’s time…next week against a minnow, perfect opportunity
god bless alexis! if only every one else followed his work rate!
This starts our run of max points through the holidays, winning ugly builds confidence as much as easy wins. I hope Gibbo is not bajanxed too bad…Come on gunners, start the run! Let’s climb up to the top
Three points is three points but weren’t Sunderland shocking? Like against Anderlecht, a serious lack of quality on both sides – with them, they’re just not very good, with us we’re all just in a run of poor form except Sanchez. How is it we go into collective brain freeze when we’re counter-attacking? We look scared to score on the break. We need the confidence to return.
Gibbs injured by the way. You couldn’t make it up.
‘All that matters is 3 points’. No it isn’t. Because there’s something toxic about this Arsenal side that I haven’t seen in any of my years supporting. And that includes the team that was thrashed 8-2 at Old Trafford. Individually we have the best squad in years, but as a collective we look lethargic, ineffective and totally disinterested week-in week-out. And that’s without mentioning the inevitable weekly injury to a key player. I don’t have the answers, but something drastic needs to change. It’s absolutely pathetic that many of us would take fourth place if it was guaranteed now.
Alexis is a damn warrior, he will fight even after making a few mistakes and is a great example how one should conduct themselves. No doubt he was the main man today but others have to step up particularly Santi. Come on mate, the most 2 footed player in the universe skying shots like that is totally unacceptable when we are struggling for inspiration in the final third. Welbeck needs that killer instinct which i’m sure will come as he has more pace and skill than Giroud and Sanogo but on recent performances you would favour Giroud for his link… Read more »
3 points!! Alexis is one of the most exciting players who ever played for us.
Santi was almost useless again, a few good passes n a bit of work on defence. But not good enough for a regular starter in such an important role. Hes Very overrated and never gets stick for his poor performances. I wonder why. Whatever. Hope Rambo will b back to his brilliant self again soon and can’t wait to see Theo starts again.
Got the win, city lost, pool drew. That’s a very good day! COYG!!!!!
“and the opening stages of the game were played primarily in the first half.”
Funny that…
Arteta, I don’t rate you much as a player but your quality as a gentlemen shone through in your attempt to console an understandably frustrated Mannone. You my friend are CLASS!
Was about to make exactly the same point. Vito looked pretty inconsolable at the end, but from what I saw, the only two people who tried to support him at the end were Arteta and Szczesny.
Its a shame, because he was not at fault for the first, and although he made an error for the second, it was due to getting a hospital pass.
Cazorla – GET LOST. What a joke. How many games in a row has he completely skied shots over. Why does Wenger play him game after game? Ox – Never going to do it for me, never consistent. Flashes of brilliance but doesn’t have the footballing brain for me. Wrong decisions over and over 2 points behind Man City? So what. I care more about the performance than the points sometimes. Today was a day where pretty much every player should refund the traveling fans tickets. Just plain pathetic Sanchez – What a player! Carrying the team Oh and we… Read more »
OK, I’ll bite. With Cazorla the way he is right now, you have the two choices of: playing him in the hope he finds his way into form/confidence, or throwing him under the bus by dropping him. Today, if you wanted to do Option 2, the alternatives are limited with Ramsey barely fit, no Özil, and Jack suspended this week. OX? The kid is only 21 years old and not even a regular starter yet. Give him 3-4 years, and then decide if he is ever going to be good enough (and as he has already played much better than… Read more »
“Oi!” at the original post. Calm your tits. Cazorla should get a rest, there is a certain Little Mozart who can allow him to do just that. I hope Wenger doesn’t throw Santi in next week because it really takes away morale from bench players who know they can put in a better performance. Sure Santi at his best is always going to start, but if someone is out of form and you have options, use those options… I’m trying to rationalize it and I feel that Wenger is not sure where to put Rosicky in at the moment but… Read more »
Alexis is proving himself to be a bargain. A true gem. While the injuries this season are more than appalling, one silver lining is that the youngsters brought in are getting an up close view of how a true professional works his balls off.
Alexis F.C it’s all Alexis F.C at the moment
Watching El Clasico now. We’re really quite a long ways from Europe’s top table, aren’t we?
Performance wise, this was better than Anderlecht. Had Cazorla not put on Wellingtons it would have been a very comfortable win.
Still far from acceptble performance, but i’ll take the three points. Just hope to god one or two players start hitting something resembling form, can’t count on Alexis to carry us through every game of the season.
I hope this is the start of a confidence building run because that performance was awful. We literally have no experienced centreback cover now Gibbs is injured. What a wonderful situation we are in. It seems like an age when we were all optimistic contemplating this season. Everything wrong with this team is the fault of Wenger. Changing formation after a world cup year without a proper pre season to implement it, not buying the physical players that playing in this league requires (as well as the areas we short in numbers), making tactical substitutions when required in a match… Read more »
Alexis’ addition ought to have catapulted us into title challengers. Strangely enough the performance levels of most of other top players seems to have dropped. With the pace we have up front and through the middle, along with the technical ability, we ought to be doing better. Wenger needs to step in and show what tactical nous he has. We’re grinding through but not playing very well. Some spark needed. Is it a matic/carvalho type in the middle? Who knows.
“and the opening stages of the game were played primarily in the first half”
????????????
Another shocking performance thank god for Alexis one man team he must be wondering what’s going on with the lacklustre effort by the others if they cant be bothered put the kids in
Any reason Welbeck never gets behind defenders? Is it just every team sticking 10 in the back? I was expecting us to cut defenses apart with brilliant through passes. Instead all I see is side to side with the odd horrible cross (Bellerin today). When we do get numbers forward we look completely confused – unlike Real Madrid who break with amazing pace and organization. And yesterday the ex-president of Real said they tried to get Wenger in 2006 with an agreement almost in place. Is Wenger the problem? Why do we look so disorganized with a coach who has… Read more »
Thought two holders worker very well and safe. Lack of width in this formations as oxo, wellbeck sancgez santi all playing no. 10 at same time!! Oxo should have come off at half time simply terrible lazy poor control.campbell deserved to come on. Can only hope this team performance was because of of fatigue from champions. Everyone needs to take responsibility, Even our best performer sanchez sometimes passed up opportunities to shoot. And those that did shoot Santi hit a few over the bar.positives monreal alexis, bfg, chambers, clean sheet and hector good when came on. And the podolski singaling… Read more »
Another very disappointing performance from arsenal. Except for Sanchez everyone looked awful. Just lucky to get the two goals and Sanchez is the only player out there in field who fought till the last minute. When player like cazrola chamberlain were pathetic wenger did not try to replace them with poldi and Campbell. I guess poldi and Campbell need more time on the field and do not understand why Wenger’s doesn’t see it.
who bought alexis? who selected alexis? wenger!!!!!! thank you. goodnight.
love wenger but anyone could see alexis’ quality…he IS world class
Alexis’ first goal reminiscent of the one Rosicky scored vs Spuds in the match that spawned Walcott’s injury. Superb.
I am mad HORNY for Alexis. Why the fuck can’t ALL players like you know … FUCKING TRY like him?