For a long time it looked as if the goals wouldn’t come, with Jordan Pickford in inspired form, and Arsenal’s finishing wasteful.
In the end though, it was that man Alexis Sanchez again, scoring twice inside the last 20 minutes who secured the win we needed.
Read the report and see the goals here. Player ratings below.
Ozil back on form – beautiful to watch.
Honourable mentions for Xhaka’s beautiful passing and the main man Franco Holdesi.
So we aren’t supposed to mention the times he gets caught in possession because he is so damn slow? Isn’t this the reason we supposedly didn’t bring Cesc back? Xhaka is a lovely passer but his other failings cannot simply be ignored surely.
Just clarifying I am talking about Xhaka not Ozil.
I don’t think Xhaka had anything to do with Cesc, who went to Chelsea a full 2 years before we got the Swiss man (and there was approximately zero chance that we were going to resign him after that). Yeah, he’s slow, but that usually only becomes a problem on defense, not in possession (and in any event, it’s not his fault, but Wenger’s, to the degree that he fails to pair him with someone quick and mobile and feisty to cover for him). As for tonight, yeah, he lost it a few times, but that was just a lack… Read more »
We’ve been crying for a midfield maestro since Santi got injured, and now that we have one, people want to scorn him to death. Typical.
“someone quick and mobile and feisty to cover for him)” Im telling you, We need to get Naby Keita. I remember watching when Elnany was paired with him during the west ham home game. Xhaka really needs a runner with him. Someone who is defensivly adequate and who is offensive minded. IMHO the Ox is too offensive minded. Naby Keita is a superstar in the making. Wenger called him personally before he went to RB leipzig and Keita said that he wasnt ready. Call his ass again!!!
The Granite and The Nabber. Not a bad idea.
Just clarifying. Down vote.
The problem isnt so much Xhaka’s as its of who ever decided to buy him. The current squad was set up for a certain kind of midfield partnership. The first choice was Cazorlia and Coquelin. One a pure destroyer, the other a tactically intelligent player capable of playing out from deep mostly through his dribbling ability. Elneny was the natural replacement for Coq. Ramsey, Wilshere and even Chamberlain could fill in for Cazorla. It would have made sense buying a better replacement for Coq. Xhaka is a totally different kind of player and the entire team now needs to play… Read more »
Xhaka is very much in the Xabi Alonso mould. A player much coveted by Arsene and dare I say whose cheaper simpler version he found in Arteta. Pjanjic and Kovacic are good players though nowhere near Santi’s calibre. Also, it’s not as if signing a player from Roma/Juve and Real is easy. Signing Xhaka is a long term decision and all the change it entails is for the better. Coq Santi were a combination born out of desperation. An ingenious solution by the boss. Giving Xhaka a good ball carrying partner who can tackle would make us very formidable.
Isn’t Kovacic surplus at Real? I read even Modric could leave…
His signing made complete sense as he is just the type of player we have needed since Vieira. I cannot for the life of me understand the unjust criticism he receives.
Total nonsense. Apart from Alexis he was quite clearly our best player tonight. Apart from his ball distribution he showed true composure and iand I cannot remember him being constantly caught in possession. He will be a world class player and I believe a future captain. One of Arsene Wenger’s best signings.
Erm….he was great alright. Sanchez came up with the goods but I think Ozil was the best player against Sunderland.
Let’s not get carried away, he has a good first season with us but he’s a long way from being world class
But he is on the right path… Apart from his various strengths, Xhaka has more personality and character than Song and Arteta and even Flamini.
Down vote.
Why couldn’t Pickford go on holiday? ?
To Pickford 😉
Funny
Lol
He’s auditioning for the Ospina vacancy.
Alexis is clearly the most important player in this squad. Whatever happens this summer we must keep him.
I think it sounds like we are prepared to. wenger mention potentially seeing it as amortisation. If we should sell Ozil (Dependent on suitors), we need to build around Alexis. Someone like Konoplyanka at Schalke can be got for 30m or under. He’s an experience and equally skillful playmaker at 27yrs and considering spell at Sevilla and Schalke, coming to us will still be a step up in his final chapter of his career (peak years) BUT I also think the club should buck the trend if this is to be Arsene’s final year and SPEND big on a player… Read more »
what is this constant trolling with this konoplyanka stuff, you are aware that he is a constant bench player at Schalke, and has gotten 2 goals and 2 assists in 28 (16 sub) appearances this season? And you want him to be our starting CAM, instead of the player who yesterday broke the (alas unofficial) record for chances created in one game in the EPL?
We need more Ozil calibre players not possible replacements for him.
IF Alexis en Ozil stay. Buy Lemar and let him Occupy the left and let Sanchez be central striker. Naby Keita (I hope he wont be a guy on the famous Players he could get list. ) Left back already on the books and a goalkeeper. Extend Cech contract for 1 or 2 years ( few weeks he is actually very good. But we all know that wasnt the case before.) There are 3 great keepers available. Pickford, Butland and Leno from Leverkussen. Get a keeper so you dont have to look behind for the coming decade. Sell Walcott, Ramsey,… Read more »
I have no issue with Ozil going as although he is class he is not consistent enough in our team. We have Ox, Ramsey ( both showing form now) Wiltshire & Iwobi who can play our no 10. Would rather mould the team around alexis & get a pacey clinical striker. Let Gibbs go ( makes the right runs just final ball poor), jenkinson, Debeuchy, & Walcott go. Want to see more of perez & danny next year as hard to jusge this year with injuries
This is a joke surely? Mesut isn’t consistent enough but we can replace him with Ox, Ramsey and Wilshere who between them can’t play half a dozen games without being injured and Iwobi who is a developing talent! Mesut is class, and keeping him is not only important for the team, but I think will have a big impact on whether Alexis stays or goes.
Does he not have another year? Make him see it out. Is that so unreasonable?
It may be a choice of making him see out his contract or ensuring he doesn’t go to a rival.
If there’s a surefire way to make sure an Arsenal player leaves on a free, that’s what it is. He needs to sign this summer, latest, otherwise it’s going be nonstop harassment by the press, a contract saga that affects the team, etc. I’ve had enough of that this season, and I want the team to focus on building better teamwork–as simple as that sounds, nobody is going to benefit from forcing Alexis to ride out his contract, including the club’s own finances on what we’ll lose if he leaves on a Bosman.
Alexis hasn’t said he is leaving this season so no question yet of forcing. He might very well want a Bosman considering the signing bonus he will get plus the greater freedom of choosing his destination. No way the club will let him move to Chelsea or City. (BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A RIOT, YOU HEAR KROENKE?)
Not financially
I know Sanchez is amazing, but if we passed up 50m for him so that he could see out his contract, that 50m over 52 weeks would work out at costing us roughly a million a week. Not even Leo Messi is worth a million a week. Ideal situation is obviously that he signs, but if he doesn’t want to be at the club we’re just gonna have to accept it and move on. But hopefully moving on entails having our most productive transfer window ever.
Is alexis sanchez the reason for life itself? I suspect yes
I get the feeling IF we at very least make FA cup, he may consider one more season. If we made FA cup and top 4, then highly possibility. No FA cup then unlikely. Even if he signs a season’s extension, his value is unlikely to fall even with us in europa instead. A better title charge (of course all moot considering Wenger) will help too next season. Both Leicester and Chelsea were the benificiaries of no European involvement over previous season and this for their respective titles. Of course Thursday footy won’t help but much will also depend on… Read more »
Leicester and Chelsea didn’t play the Europa League, FYI. Also you can’t bring in enough to cover for tactical flaws.
I do hope Sanchez stays and finds it worth his while.
Why were we not playing this way a couple of months back for God’s sake?
Because Arsene’s contract ‘will he, won’t he?’ Derailed the entire club! I love him, don’t get me wrong. I just can’t see a positive reason for delaying the inevitable.
It still is a will he won’t he case. Isn’t it? I think you are partly right. Wenger has to claim responsibility for being where he are. And answer for out shortcomings. But it’s simplistic to lay all the blame at his feet. His contract had nothing to do with the hole we had in the midfield for large periods or the shambles at the back against Bayern or the naps Ramsey Ozil Bellerin and The Ox have taken at various set pieces this season.
You mean how we started playing like crap, which *caused* the contract debacle?
Given how we’ve been having periods of crap almost every year, the question is about his competence, not any other nonsense.
Rightly put. Though I believe Wenger is very competent – he needs to answer for what went wrong, own up or elaborate and suggest way outs… because not addressing it only causes more mayhem.
Because our team are fucken flakey and cannot perform until they have effectively no pressure or expectation. Meaningless result
Sunderland–Dead Man Walking. We should have been able to put the boot to them early and often, but they did put up a stubborn defense. I thought this was one of Ozil’s finer performances in recent games.
The podcast voodoo.
And so often blogs says he doesn’t believe, tut tut.
Ozil was just absolutely fantastic tonight. His passing was spot on (as always) and he was more willing to play slightly riskier passes than he normally does. But what was most amazing were his runs forward. He was running the channels and opening up play for others better than what we have seen for most of this season from the more specialized forwards. And he seems to be enjoying Xhaka’s ability on the ball. Ozil does not get nearly enough credit for just how much work he puts in to help other players have more space and play better. On… Read more »
For fuck’s sake, it drives me crazy all this love for Ozil’s performance. Sums up everything that is wrong with the Arsenal. Almost meaningless game against crap opposition. Some of you have pitifully low expectations. Can you imagine one of the bigger three Spanish clubs accepting 5th?
Everyone around here is aware that the overall season isn’t good enough, but that doesn’t mean this particular performance was shite. It wasn’t.
I was happy we won but some people are spouting on here as if everything is dandy
Araj talked about Ozil’s performance *tonight*, not about *everything*
What’s the point supporting the club if you can’t enjoy the good days ? It’s like any relationship. Hopefully there are more good days than bad days. Got to enjoy them , not take them for granted…
I have only seen the goals so I can’t comment on the overall game. And I think the constant disappointment of the last few years (league wise) has changed my metrics for enjoyment. Caveat over. I appreciated Ozil’s first time pass to Alexis against Stoke. Simple and beautiful. Those who’ve played even a little know how hard that is and he makes it look so easy. For the first tonight the little skip that he does to set his feet for the half volley pass is just a pure joy to watch. So often you see players not able to… Read more »
“Ozil does not get nearly enough credit for just how much work he puts in to help other players have more space and play better.” I think this is so correct, and I just can’t understand how none of the football expert pundits comprehend this. Do people think that, given all the data provided for Wenger about the players’ movement, he would be fine with Özil not tracking back, if there wasn’t an upside to it? Özil’s workrate comes into play when we have the ball, because he is one of the few players in our team who constantly moves… Read more »
I loved the shove and kick out at that nincompoop who was clinging onto him on the right wing. Angry Ozil is just too cute. (Heart emoji.)
Ozil was hungry today. Love the shove on Cattermole I believe. Excellent work rate naturally gone unnotice by media and detractors. Alexis is an animal. BUT he sometimes tries to take everyone on and slows the game down for us (not to mention still too many loose passes)…the conundrum is you don’t ever want him to stop creating chaos and taking on players. He’s carved out of the Andes. Indestructable. Granit had a mix bag today. NOT so sure I’d rate him so high. Excellent passing from deep but too easily fleeced on a number of occasions and missed some… Read more »
Santi is joy made human. It is a credit to him, Wenger and the gods he did such a marvellous job in the middle while he was fit and available. Was a miracle no one saw coming. From what I’ve seen I’m not sure Arda can scamper and pirouette around Fernandinhos and Kantes and Hererras in the middle of the park. People have said Pjanic and Kovacic. Good choices. Perhaps the sturdier options (Xhaka and Kolasinac!) Bakayako or that Goretzka fella wouldn’t be bad either. Or best of best. Your favourite Elneny loses his cocoon and sprouts wings… plenty to… Read more »
Xhaka’s passing is something to behold. He will be world class one day. we didn’t have any luck tonight whatsoever and still managed a record number of chances created in a game.. with a performance like that Vs Everton and a bit of luck we won’t need goal difference. I also do not understand why people think rob holding is so raw, ok so he is still young but before joining us he was Bolton’s cb of the season, playing many games (as there are) in the championship. A physical league and with Bolton on the down, he got ‘blooded’… Read more »
We need a proper midfield partner for Xhaka as well. I’d buy to bring them in, but if someone thinks one of the guys already at the club is that man (Ramsey? Ox? Iwobi? Coq? Elneny? Wilshere? the Jeff???) I won’t argue with you here, I’d just say it’s up to Wenger to commit to someone being that man, to train him for that role and start the two consistently together so they can gain an understanding. The biggest problem we had after Santi’s injury (and no, as good as he is he’s not a longterm answer) was bossing games… Read more »
Hear hear
Whoa, slow down. That’s way too much rational thought in one post.
Continue.
I’m in the same position as you, and the only thing leaving me with a doubt is the number of rational arguments I’ve made, season after season, much along the same lines.
Which would make you think that we have made incremental progress these past nine years, but then that’s not really the case either, is it? I don’t know what’s up or down anymore, when it comes to Arsenal at least.
He changed tactics mix season when more fans than ever started screaming for his head. Why? Well, you conveniently failed to mention that we also broke another record – the most abysmal run of games Arsenal has lived through in more than 22 years. Even with the fall to Manure’s spot it took him a while to change the tactic. And now we’re going to make a genius of him for changing it in the most Wengerlike moment – late? Once again, we gave our best pushing for 4th instead of a title. With the same players. Who’s responsible for… Read more »
Mourinho is an asshole, but he is right when he said Wenger is a ‘Specialist in failure’. Mediocrity for more than 10 years, incredible the tolerance extended to him
Incredible the “tolerance being extended to him”?? This is Arsene Wenger you are talking about, sir. Have some fucking respect. You may or may not agree with him, but to use such language…..abhorrent. Alexis’s first against Sunderland?? If you saw that goal and enjoyed it, then you know the reason why such “tolerance” is being extended to him by the Arsenal majority. Shameless the minority within us have become. Classless, even. If this is the mediocrity we Arsenal fans have to put up with, then I daresay, we are better than every fucking club in the world. That we will… Read more »
You must be an extremely high achiever in your own life….
Or he’s well accomplished at standardized testing–some good vocabulary use there…
Not sure why Giroud is starting. Welbeck might not be on top form but the team is so much more dynamic with him on. Same for Gibbs, against Sunderland I would have tried Iwobi on the left
The gunners made heavy weather beating Sunderland. Their predictable
attack down the middle ran intoa ten men wall and yet Wenger still persisits in threading the ball through.
So was it surprising 0-0 at ht?Not at all. I thing the cl dream is gone and he better concentrate on how to win the epl.
Btw,the gunners have no chance of ever winning the cl as long as the fm stays in charge.
This is nonsense.
Why? You think that Wenger could actually win us a CL title or another EPL title for that matter?
RagingRoadkill – this site is being infilttrated by Wenger apologists/trolls, so don’t waste your energy with any critical comments…
So Matt P – anyone who disagrees with you is a troll, eh? That kind of reasoned, well-informed argument qualifies you to be a leader of men! If you don’t like reasoned argument and respect for your fellow supporters – even if you disagree with them – can I suggest you use another site? I believe Chelsea have a good one.
Tapps – you get excited by a win against cellar dwellers? Do you tolerate mediocrity?
I am happy we won. But that is different to commenting as if everthing is rosy like some here are doing.
We are 5th in what is currently a mediocre league. We are behind very average liverpool and man city teams and only slightly above a shit united team
All comments here are about last night’s result, and the upturn in performances. I don’t ‘tolerate mediocirity’ but I do have the sense to put things in perspective. The failure to put together a title challenge this season is severely disappointing – and I truly believe that Wenger needs to take his share of responsibility for this. I also believe that Wenger’s press conferences could be misconstrued as suggesting he thinks he’s done well enough. He hasn’t. I also agree that a flaw with Wenger’s philosophy is that he doesn’t put enough importance on leadership, desire and an unacceptance of… Read more »
Well said Sir
Please alexis and ozil fucking stay. This new formation makes them absolutely lethal.
Anyone else surprised to see Gabriel on the bench for this game, perhaps instead of resting Nacho??. Methinks he cud be pushed out in the summer to make room for Calum..or ( wishful thinking ) the Virgil of St Marys
Walcott looks like he is being sidelined again too..really is time to show him the door
Three points in the bag and we’re still in with a fighting chance. Xhaka’s passing broke the lines (as Winger described it some time back) as seen in the first goal. His influence grows by the day. While some people are berating him, I’ve come to that point where I have no confidence in any midfield line up without him these past four weeks.
I loved Xhaka and his passing, don’t understand why people prefer to moan rather than appreciate the kind of player he is… Well worth every penny Arsenal paid for him…
I’d like to ask those who think Xhaka has been a bad or underwhelming signing… how much did Herrera cost and how much time did he need? What the special fuck is Mkhitaryan doing? Sissoko? Gundogan?
How is fabregas a like for like replacement for santi? Cesc is very good but isn’t a Santiago.. …
I don’t give a hoot about an effectively irrelevant game. Who cares if Ozil played well? He has been missing for about 2/3 of the season. Easy to perform when the pressure is off, against crap opposition. We need massive change and I don’t want some late season meaningless results distracting from that reality. This team have no balls at all, easy to perform when there is no expectation left.
No one is distracted. But thanks for taking a dump on our heads.
Thanks for your insightful view.
Touch of Class giving Pickford the bonus rating. That’s what this cub is all about.
Shoutout to alexis doing like of those quick swivels he does then passing straight to a Sunderland player sort of thing that frustrates me so much
Pops up with two goals to remind you why he is so tricking good
COYG I work Thursday night don’t want to have to quit my job because of europa ?
Ozil,cech,alexis and xhaka were so good and because of that Arsenal was able to pick up all the three points
Superb cross by Mustafi leading to the second goal What was he doing out wide?
MAybe somebody could have a word with Bellerin and tell him smashing the ball into the side netting is not what is required of player
Good thinking: I bet that’s never occurred to him