Starting XI: Cech, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal, Bellerin, Xhaka, Coquelin, Gibbs, Ozil, Alexis, Walcott
Subs: Martinez, Ramsey, Elneny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Iwobi, Welbeck, Giroud
A Robert Huth own goal was enough for Arsenal to keep their Champions League hopes alive as they beat Leicester 1-0 at the Emirates.
The German defender deflected a Nacho Monreal cross past his own keeper with just five minutes remaining on an evening when the Gunners struggled to create clear cut opportunities.
The win sees Arsene Wenger’s men close the gap on the top four to four points ahead of Sunday’s North London derby.
First half
For the third game in a row Arsenal started with three at the back although on this occasion Nacho Monreal tucked inside next to Gabriel and Laurent Koscielny with Kieran Gibbs deployed at left wing-back and Hector Bellerin, in for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, on the right. There were also returns for Theo Walcott and Francis Coquelin as Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey dropped to the bench.
The visitors had the first attempt at goal as Marc Albrighton pounced on a mistake by Sanchez to set up Vardy just shy of ten yards out. Luckily for the Gunners the England striker curled into the side netting.
Leicester were happy to sit back in numbers and soak up Arsenal’s predominantly passive possession. Sanchez kept dropping deep to collect the ball from Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil, however, with no target man in the box he kept giving the ball with desperate attempts to pick a way through a sea of blue.
It took until the 15th minute for a shot on target as Coquelin stung Kasper Schmeichel’s palms from range. The sight of the midfielder attempting a second speculative effort much later in the half was reflective of the struggles of the men in red and white.
Theo Walcott did force a save from Schmeichel at his near post on 26 minutes and Christian Fuchs did well to steer a Gabriel header away from danger but it was a drive from Sanchez that smacked the bar in stoppage time that was the closest Wenger’s men came to breaking the deadlock in a frustrating half.
Despite being on the back foot, the better chances fell to Leicester with Riyad Mahrez twice coming close. First Cech parried a volley over from the Algerian on 21 minutes and six minutes before the break the winger cut off the left and shot wide.
Second half
Arsenal continued to press and probe after the break but a distinct lack of quality in the final third continued to frustrate the Emirates crowd. Theo Walcott’s determination to play the ball backwards at every opportunity drew particularly loud groans.
Sanchez’s frustrations also continued as a poor touch in the box after a great run by Bellerin gave Robert Huth a chance to clear the ball. Xhaka and Koscielny both tested Schmeichel as the Gunners tightened the screw before Wenger removed Kieran Gibbs and sent on Welbeck and reverted to 4-3-3.
The pack was further shuffled with 15 minutes remaining as Giroud and Ramsey came on for Walcott and Coquelin. If anything the changes further stymied the stop-start tempo of the game.
There was a scare as Laurent Koscielny went down innocuously holding his knee and with the ball still in play Gabriel blocked from substitute Okazaki. The French defender required treatment but did return to the pitch.
Having struggled all half to create a clear opportunity it looked as though the game might drift towards a frustrating draw until an intervention from Nacho Monreal. As the ball dropped at the edge of the Leicester box the Spaniard, who scored his first goal of the season at Wembley on Sunday, swiped a half volley, more a cross than a shot, that took a heavy deflection off Robert Huth and found the net. The relief on the bench and in the terraces was palpable. (1-0)
The game descended into a stoppage time scuffle as Alexis Sanchez tried to stop a Fuchs long throw. The Chilean earned a booking and conceded a free-kick but despite sending Schmeichel up the visitors couldn’t find an equaliser.
Well that was an incredibly frustrating watch, and the ending – embarrassing.
You think we were embarrassed in the ground? No mate, relieved and happy!They’ve embarrassed us a few times recently but this ain’t one of them.
Alexis blatantly faking injury, the crowd not returning the ball, people throwing bottles onto the pitch, etc. It’s frowned upon when our opponents do it so I don’t see why the same shouldn’t apply to us. Of course I’m happy with the win, but I am also genuinely disappointed that we have resorted to this behaviour – I thought we were better than this.
True, but I think a fair amount of the Arsenal exasperation has to do with the fact that the players never seemed willing to do it – the whole pack of son-in-laws and what have you. Frankly, it’s drama and more of the same makes me love the club more.
Alexis may have deserved a yellow by the letter of the law for his exaggerated reaction, but the referee should have shown a red to Fuchs. That was blatant violent conduct to throw the ball hard right into Alexis’s face from close range. Frankly it was an easy call, but I doubt the FA will do anything about that. Because, y’know, Arsenal.
We got what we needed tonight, a win. That’s all that matters.
Clearly Nacho Monreal goals (even if they are deflected) are like busses…. Lets hope a third and fourth come along this weekend.
Exactly. A win is a win is a win is a win is a win is a …
United seem set to drop points. Away to City, Away at Arsenal and away at Shite Fart Lane still to go for them.
Even Liverpool have 2 tough away games at Watford and West Ham. In this league teams dropping points away is always a possibility.
West Ham? Tough?
It’s Liverpool we are talking about. These are the games where they drop points.
Monreal stepping up like a real man when it matters. The guy has almost singlehandedly lifted us Gooners from the pits of despair and gloom this week. What an underrated player !
I bumped into Nacho, Santo and Emi Martinez in the hippodrome casino jacks after a match a few years back, he’s the most effusive chap you could ever meet! I sometimes think I’d love to experience joy the way I did as a child, I think he does still
I’ll take the three points however they come! I’m not saying I think we’ll make it to top 4 or anything but I’ll put it this way: if we win the remainder of our games we will finish in 3rd place and I strongly believe that. The ball’s in our park. I know we’re sick of not challenging for the title but if we can finish top 4 and win the FA Cup I’d be happy with that, and at least that’s something we can build on.
I smell three points coming this weekend….
Happy, concerned and slightly confused. Yep, that’s the life of an Arsenal fan. COYG.
Only one word to describe this victory: banter. That ending sweet wtf though.
“Barca DNA”
Got out of jail tonight. All the ball, but like we’ve seen so many times before against a compact defense, created very little which was a lot down to team selection.
Sometimes you need a bit of luck, and got that with the own goal. Yet again not pretty, some rough challenges and play acting on show but at least they got the win.
Will need to be a lot better to get anything from Spurs.
Oh, and Tony Gale is a cunt.
Tony Gale was absolutely on one tonight wasn’t he. Bloke would not shut up.
It wasn’t even that he was anti-Arsenal – what fucked me off was his complete refusal to accept the benefits of playing a sharp, mobile forward. Yeah maybe tonight Sanchez and Walcott weren’t at their best (to put it politely) but as a commentator, say “they’re not at their best” and then explain what such players should be doing for their team, rather than completely writing off their strengths and whining for Giroud all night. I’m here for analysis, not some bloke deliberately overlooking the benefits of pacy football in favour of the stone-age ‘proper forward’ shite they played back… Read more »
The standard of commentary has gone to shit. No doubt. In this match though, as far as I heard, they weren’t bemoaning the movement as much as a lack of it in the right places. Basically what they said was the forward should stay higher up to give an option (which sharp, mobile forwards do), forwards should not be coming deep towards the ball all the time (which sharp, mobile forwards don’t) and that if the forward line is this sterile then even a static target man like Giroud would help in just freeing up Sanchez to play more freely… Read more »
On tonight’s basis I agree, I meant more that he’s sharp and mobile in theory. No pun intended.
I hope he’s stricken with a case of muteness. We’ve heard everything in that man’s commentary locker.
Like the cunt behind me (in our standing section not the diamond club) talking corporate happy talk to his mate until I told him if he couldn’t manage to do a little supporting THE STFU. He did.
I had to turn the sound off after he said for the tenth time something like “Arsenal need to get more men in the box on those crosses”. I counted 6 in the box and one arriving, Just couldn’t take him anymore.
I envy Gale.
I’d like a job where they paid me to spout gash while drunk. Love how he forgot Colquelin’s shot. In fact, the only thing he didn’t forget/get wrong was his manlove for Drinkwater.
This is as scrappy a win as it ever gets but we got those three points.
Sanchez at centre forward doesn’t work neither does walcott anywhere and coquelin was disappointing
We need a good mid fielder in the summer to play with xhaka can’t rely fully on santi.
The commentator was absolute biased the worst commentary i’ve heard in long long time
Wenger please stick with 3 at the back ffs
I prefer the Arsenal biased commentary on Arsenal Player
Commentary?!! I couldn’t get it on stream anywhere…they are all over Mobdro now ?
I dispute the notion that Sanchez as CF doesn’t work based on this game rather than all those others early in the season. What DOESNT work however is fielding s team of 7 (count’em….7) defensive players (Xhaka, Coquelin, Monreal, Kos, Gab, Gibbs and Hector) especially with Coq in midfield and expecting any creativity from the misfield, especially Ozil on the wing. Literally or only effective players in terms of final third unlocking were Sanchez and Ozil, with the latter not in great form right now). This was probably the type of game to bring Iwobi back into the fold and… Read more »
Tony Gale is a colossal PR!CK… Had to mute the commentary
Whoever was calling the game in the US, pretty sure it was Tony Gayle, is a thick cunt. Awful game but got the 3 points needed
He was just awful to listen to. How many times can he praise Huth for manhandling Arsenal players and then say Xhaka deserves a card for touching Mahrez.
Could not agree more. He was practically arguing with himself on what Arsenal were doing, and even when they did what he wanted them to do, he said it was the wrong thing to do.
Arsenal were bad today, but nowhere near as bad as his commentary.
Phew, that wasn’t good for the blood pressure but a vital win. Great result coyg.
It was quite comical at times. Who the heck stabs someone on the back with his studs like that in modern football? In any football!
The goal was comical.
The long Fuchs throwin battle with Sanchez was comical
The Sanchez leaping onto Fuchs and getting an Arsenal freekick was comical
You know when it doesn’t rain at all for months and months, but then one day it rains and it just keeps raining so hard. I don’t know what I’m trying to say here, but anyways relieved by the result of our ‘first final’
COYG!!
Lol, let me help.
I am dead certain that you were talking about Monreal’s goals.
But, but, but, I thought the playas are not playing for the managah anylonger!
Venga ahht!!!!
So a few scrappy wins and it’s “Wenger, sign da ting” now? You’re easily pleased.
Not sure why u r misinterpreting me, bro. I fink dat me and your good self speak the same language: the only good Venga is a sacked Venga!!! Like, what’s he ever done for us?
The wins were scrappy yeah, I hated them so much, like, I fink I prefer loosing!
thank you
What language is this?
They call it “troopzish” I believe.
Blud fam nah blud, dis iz troopzish fam blud fam.
It’s Lonwin’s oh-so-clever attempt at satire, which suggests that anyone who thinks Arsene Wenger doesn’t deserve to be the manager of the club any more is an uneducated sheep.
I enjoyed winning, I just don’t appreciate Lonwin’s use of one win where we played appallingly (and if I’m being generous, a three game run where we played well in one game) to suggest that those saying the manager should leave were over reacting to a few bad results.
Here we go…
How about just enjoying the win rather than making this a case for/against the manager?
Especially as we didn’t even play well to begin with. But try not to get carried away.
It’s the Arsenal fan hokey-pokey all over again.
Theo Walcott is absolute crap
He, among many will need to depart in what has to be a major overhaul this summer.
He scores goals but literally contributes nothing else to the team.
Yeah those goals, so pointless…
You can only have so many players in one team that don’t defend or do anything else. Given how patchy he is, is he worth using one of those slots on?
But he does defend though, especially this season. Has chipped in with a couple of assists as well. I’d like to see him do more on the ball and he was earlier in the season, but let’s not pretend the only thing he does is score goals. And let’s not pretend that goals aren’t bloody important!
No-one’s saying the goals are pointless, but he could bring so much more. The one (ONE) good point Tony Gale made tonight was that Walcott at no point even tried to beat his man. If we want to compete seriously, we’re going to need to find someone who can do a lot more in that position regarding not just goals but also build-up play – and do so consistently over the course of a season. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy to find such a player, I’m saying that there is a reason Theo Walcott hasn’t been part… Read more »
You know it’s not mutually exclusive?
It’s 2017, it is possible to score goals AND have other attributes; like defending well or, shock horror, dribbling and beating a man?
If we just want goals and nothing else, might as well get Defoe. This is arsenal, players should be of the best and most rounded Cali region available, especially when you’re one of our top payed players.
Tony gale is an absolute fuckwit and to be honest that’s actually an insult to fuckwits.
I’m giving you a thumbs-up, largely on the strength of your user-name.
To be fair, based on today’s revelations, at least we now know why he’s a twat with parents like his.
Well he has to rotate….didn’t perform so he will lose his place. Did kos get fooked?
I don’t know why Wenger went for Giroud v City and Walcott v Leicester, should have been the other way round, Walcott is useless when we are trying to break down a stubborn team but excels on the break and at least tries to defend from the front (this season), Giroud is better against packed defenses and at least gives us a target in the box, but he was useless against City.
So many tough games coming up, I’d given up hope, but there it is again, and it’s the hope that kills you.
Comedy ending to a terrible game
I think that top four place is well within reach and very achievable.
Is this what the kids on the internet call a “Dirty Sanchez”?
Can’t fault the effort. This is the sort of result that begins the unbeaten run in…ending in the top four. COYG!!!!!!
One cup final down, six to do. Sinister and gritty Arsenal.
Fuck Leicester and Fuck the referee.
OK who still thinks Monreal isn’t up to a first team place. Has totally played through all the noise around Wenger et al and shown real fight to keep his place. Really sorry to say this as I wanted him to come on and do good but Ramsey was really bad tonight.
People don’t think Monreal has done good?
How does Coq start ahead of Elneny ? I get Coq is that combative midfielder, but technically he’s not great. Not even close. And our midfield needs ppl who can actually pick out a pass, as well as win back the ball.
If we’re really being honest, is Coq, Giroud and Theo technically good enough for an Arsenal team wanting to challenge for a title? I don’t believe so…
Maybe I missed something. I thought Coquelin had a very string game, especially in the first half–harassed Leicester players, won the ball, recovered loose balls. I thought it was the first time in months he looked like he did last year.
Typical game 3 days after a 120 minute “cup final”. Quite disjointed with a bit of rotation. Would have liked Welbeck central to start but perhaps not fit. Of the attacking players Ozil and Xhaka stood out but others like Walcott and indeed Sanchez were poor. Leicester didn’t deserve much apart from a red card.
Crap game, crap goal, 3 glorious points! I’ll take it but we’ve got to rethink the whole 3-4-3 thing. It’s good defensively but we’re not their going forward yet. Was surprised by the way we lined up, a fluid front 3 normally want quick service from the middle. But we played a system with only DMs in the middle and attacks started by wing backs, normally for a central target man. We played 5 defenders and 2 DMs against a team that was only going to defend anyway. Strange. Also, Tony Gale is fucking blind!
As I said before, this is not the fault of 3-4-3.
Plays a 3-2-5 with 7 defensive-minded players and you would probably still get the same outcome.
We played Man U in the FA Cup a few years ago and they played 7 defenders and beat us 4-0. It’s what the players do that matters, not what their designated roles are (Bellerin and Gibbs were both wingers in their youth days – just because they’re called defenders now doesn’t mean they are unable to attack).
I’d say that in this formation it’s hard to replace defensively minded players with more attacking players without becoming significantly more exposed, especially in the middle. Best option would be more attacking wing backs, though the emphasis on width would require more a target man. That’s why Spurs and Chelsea play a CF with two floating 10s, instead of a fluid pacey front 3. Also why we looked better going forward the last couple of games. Shame Giroud is so out of form, I think the formation should suit him
At least all the players FOUGHT tonight and at the end got what was well deserved!
COYG
Thought we were playing for extra time and penalties in our first cup final there…
We won yay! But we need an independent investigation into referees. How does Taylor get an fa cup final? Let alone against the Arsenal? How is Mike (49) Riley head of the refs? Again today, should have seen at least two reds. But eff it we won. Please let us do the biz against that lot.
Nice to get three points and keep the pressure on other dross above us in the league, shame spuds fluked a victory at palace as I think we would have seen their season further unravel!!!
Gives us the opportunity to sink them instead
Winning whilst not playing well… Sign of champs that.
Also, John Terry’s mum
1st half- pass pass pass pass GO…wait no….pass
2nd half- Banter+3 points
I watch a lot of football but not very familiar with all the rules, why was sanchez booked for the throw-in incident?
Blocking the throw in, I guess or may be play acting
It’s hard to say what the booking was for. Could be within 2 meters? I don’t remember the rule. Or it could have been for simulating injury. Either way, his face was red from contact with the ball, he looked like a schmuck over-selling it, and I would have booked bother players. Offensively for violent conduct in throwing the ball at a players face, and defensively for Sanchez behaving like it’s Serie A.
maybe because the ball hit him in the shoulder, and he rolled on the floor like he was hit in the face with a baseball bat
Sanchez got booked for 2 meters rule.
Fuchs should have been booked for his intention to hurt opponent by using excessive force.
Anyways im not sure that’s a free kick. A throw in again maybe?
Ok that makes sense. Surely the throw was a foul throw aswell…and wouldn’t that technically be the first offence
A different Geroge is right on Sanchez but Fuchs should have been booked. I think the ref didn’t card him as he was already on a yellow. Fair enough. It was just a south american thing from Sanchez (Raw desire to win the game) and i loved it.
From Law 15: “An opponent who unfairly distracts or impedes the thrower (including moving closer than 2 m (2 yds) to the place where the throw-in is to be taken) is cautioned for unsporting behaviour and if the throw-in has been taken an
indirect free kick is awarded.”
The referee got it right; Alexis turned a long throw into a dangerous free kick. He should have moved away as Fuchs threw it in.
Fuchs still should have got one too for the violent conduct or at minimum unsporting behavior by whipping it at his face. Clogger play is what that was.
Ramsey – ‘we need to treat every game like a cup final’. Ramsey gets subbed on and holds on to the ball for too long and/or passes it backwards.
Nice win another 3 points. Well done boys fighting until the end.
I am hoping for the Manchester clubs to draw now then and us to beat the Spurs.
I usually like when Alexis gets the striker role, but in a front three with Ozil and Theo I thought surely it would make more sense to put him in more of the playmaking wide striker role with Theo up top playing off their shoulders. He seemed to thrive in that role against City as it gave him a lot of space to operate and he and Ozil made the attacks and creativity from the wide inverted striking roles. Theo’s not going to do that, as it’s not his game. If he starts up top he can make runs left,… Read more »
A poor game for Theo today but he’s played much better this season, and you could say the same for Sanchez too (would say it’s a stretch to say he thrived against City too, he’s been poor all 2017). Definitely agree we didn’t try to play Walcott in nearly enough when we could have though. One of the most frustrating things this season is seeing Bellerin in particular look up early on in a move, see Walcott in acres of space to spin into, and then making a sideways pass in field instead of trying to find him. Does my… Read more »
When does Walcott ever take anyone on? His lack of dribbling is one of his biggest weaknesses.
Wenger hasn’t always made t clear his strength is his off the ball movement, and that’s always been the case when he plays. I seldom remember Theo dribbling past players.
Personally this was a game more for Iwobi.
Bayern at the Emirates for the goal Springs to mind?
Walcott needs to go, not contributing to any of the play. Will also open up wage room for others who deserve it more. Could have won by more tonight with giroud or welbz leading the line
My dad always said better to be lucky than good. Tonight we were lucky and not good. It would be hilarious if some fighting spirit and a lot of luck got us the 4th place trophy. Even better if that involves getting “outplayed” by those “classy” and “exciting” spuds this Sunday but still managing to win. I just don’t see us getting “good” this season. Hope I’m wrong. But maybe next? COYG.
1-nil to the Arsenal–and we had to sweat for it.
A wins a win!
Question regarding Alexis yellow card. Was he carded for standing too close to Huth on throw in or for feigning a knock to the face?
If the former, is there a rule that states how far a defwnder must be from the guy throwing ball in? If its the feigning then thats just rediculous…
Law 15 – opponents must stand at least 2m from the point at which the throw-in is taken.
He could also have been booked for the simulation, which was embarrassing. He waited two or three seconds after the ball hit his shoulder, then fell over holding his face. Leave that shit to Ronaldo, please.
It looked as though Fuch-Head’s deliberate throw at Sanchez was reckless (he threw it hard), so he should have been booked too.
Clearly, Arsene and I need to get haircuts on the same day again to continue this run of form.
Slightly off topic, but what’s happening with Coquelin in the picture above? Did somebody fling a jacket at him? Is the jacket just suspended in mid-air? I am confused…
I’ve just watched the sky highlights and yes it’s Tony Gale and to be honest I can hear nothing wrong with his opinions. We were pretty shit tonight and he doesn’t lay into us does he?
Fair and balanced reportage. I liked his fresh spin on our futile efforts to penetrate ten Leicester men in the box, clearly Giroud up front with Alexis alongside would have solved the conundrum. I pray he’s working on his coachung badges in time for Arsene’s farewell in 2019
HAHAHA
We bullied them into the goal.
They tried to intimidate Giroud. Giroud decided to let Huth know who is the big boss.
They don’t like the Arsenal in their faces the little foxes.
😀
3 points thank you very much.