Unai Emery was quick to praise Bernd Leno’s performance in the win over Watford as Arsenal finally recorded an away day clean sheet in the Premier League.
The German made fine stops to deny Craig Cathcart and Etienne Capoue in the first half as the home side sought an equaliser despite being reduced to ten men. After the break, our keeper was similarly impressive, commanding his box as the backline underwent some tactical tinkering from his boss.
Leno’s reward for another polished display will be 90 minutes on the bench in Naples with Emery happy to have two trustworthy keepers in his squad.
“Yes, Leno is really playing with confidence and is helping us a lot,” the Spaniard told his post-game press conference.
“I think Bernd is competitive with Cech and also now we are giving them two competitions, the Premier League for Leno and the Europa League for Petr Cech. They are both giving us a lot in goal.”
Having failed to keep a clean sheet in our previous 16 Premier League away games, the boss was pleased with the defensive solidity shown at Vicarage Road. It was very much needed given how much possession we ceded to a team who probably should have been killed off with a second goal.
“The three points is, I think, the most important thing today,” he explained. “Also, I think we worked well being consistent in our structure, defending their long balls and set-pieces. Here they are a very strong team at doing that.
“After, with the ball I wanted to do better, I wanted to control better with the possession of the ball and with one player more on the pitch.
“We didn’t do that, but in some attacking moments for us, we took chances to score the second goal and didn’t score.
“We needed to defend in the last minutes, very close with everybody to their good action in the long balls, and the second action to be good in defensive moments.”
Leno was outstanding yesterday, no doubt.
However, in away games, the attack really seems insipid. No opportunities created against Everton and no opportunities created against 10 men Watford.
The attack really needs to step up in away games.
There were plenty of opportunities yesterday we just didn’t take them
But, if we’re honest, Watford presented at least as greater threat – even with ten men for most of the game. In any case, creating chances and not taking them doesn’t say much for our strikers yesterday, does it.
I don’t know about that… They were winning a lot of half chances, especially with Torreira off in the second half but they threatened to be a threat, which at the end of the day they weren’t most of the game. But fair play to them, 10 men that performance was one of the best I have seen.
We had 19 shots and 7 on target last night. Yes we played badly but still created a few chances.
Any thoughts on Leno, Martin ?
This guy is looking more and more like a really good buy.
Hence I still regret Mislintat’s departure. Quality players within budget.
After a shaky start, he has improved noticeably over the season. I think that this is because he’s had to due of the (usually) pretty poor defensive unit that’s operating in front of him! Nevertheless, he looks to have been a good buy for Arsenal and someone who’ll continue to improve in the EPL next season.
In Leno we have a potentially great Arsenal keeper for many years in my opinion.
Why is this the only article tagged with “Troy Deeney Smells”? It seems that should be on most every article.
After an erudite and very articulate manager, it’s maybe a kind of relief/change that I don’t even bother anymore with what Emery is saying, unless I need some comic relief or just want a minor headache for fun.
I have a feeling that he is partly deliberate in the way he speaks to the press, and probably has a better grip on English in training than he lets on in public.
Yes, I can picture it now. Emery saying “good eeebening” repeatedly into a mirror while laughing hysterically
Massive saves against Carthwright and Capoue. Almost got caught out early in the match on the ball before Forster decide to show him how to really dawdle on the ball. That said, it would be remiss in the extreme to attribute defensive work to one individual alone. On AFTV, they are lauding Koscielny as some sort of hero. The entire defense did well. Mavropanos included. He had some shaky moments which is the risk you take playing a novice at this stage of campaign. Monreal too was more panicky then need be first half at times but he came in… Read more »
Leno saved Torreira’s blushes. The Uruguayan inexplicably lauded to mythical proportion (he can do no wrong to some) made a poor square pass (not the first this season) and then committed a silly foul in front of the box. From the resulting free kick we were almost punished by Capoue if not for the German’s fine save. Just to illustrate the bias against another German, some people feel fit to praise Koscielny when Mustafi was equally resolute in defending and acute in judgement for this match. Stats off of Adrian Clarke/ArsenalTV : Mustafi 11 Duels won (led the team) 7… Read more »
OK Santi, after a 3 page double missive on Player Ratings post and another 2 today, we get the point that you don’t like Torreira but do like Mustafi.
Some players can do nothing wrong, while some can do nothing right. Fans always have one or two players to bash, something I’ve learnt over 14 years of following foorball online. Diaby after his injury, eduardo after his injury even Rambo have benn the whipping boy after the injury. Kos is a legend today but didn’t get any respect at all for the first 3 years.
Why we loose so much drive & intention in our game when playing away is really really odd. Very welcomed win, but it proved very little.