Arsenal are through to the Carabao Cup 4th round after a 2-0 win over Leicester City this evening.
Nicolas Pepe forced an own goal in the 57th minute, and great work from Hector Bellerin created a late strike for Eddie Nketiah to seal the deal.
It wasn’t much of a game, but there were positives for Mikel Arteta to take – and we’ll now face the winners of tomorrow’s clash between Lincoln City and Liverpool in the next round.
Read the Leicester 0-2 Arsenal match report and see the goals here.
Leicester 0-2 Arsenal – Player Ratings
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1st
2nd
3rd
Banned
Well smote
Green eggs?
Have I missed something?
I love you blogss
Wait, why is he banned?
Low quality spamming I’m guessing.
Correct.
PEPE was no more than a 6 he was frustrating more than he was good
Then Nketiah should have got a bonus 1/10 for complaining after his team scored a goal. First time I saw a player do this. Scoring a hat trick with English U21 doesn’t make you a Lewandowski. So far he promised to become a Welbeck. At same age, Walcott scored more goals from the wing.
I lost a lot of respect for Eddie today, after seeing that. The biggest star in the club (Auba) celebrates every single goal like he scored (which he does for the most part).
Missed that which goal his or Pepe/o.g., did Eddie complaint , why ?
This is nonsense, it was because the ball was rebounding off the post straight towards his feet before Fuchs clattered it in so he was lamenting being unable to bury it himself. Clearly a light-hearted moment from him and nothing to get worked up about.
I interpret this in a different way. I was watching the without sound, and I was really confused about what was happening. Thought someone committed a foul maybe so the goal didn’t count. Because Eddie was complaining and making gestures to Pepe who looked a bit sad. That’s a fucking joke, when we score a goal!
We are all aware of pepes shortcomings, but eddies attitude in that particular situation was awful.
Hmm well fair enough and perhaps my video quality isn’t the best but to me it looked like Eddie was being a bit tongue-in-cheek about it.
Big fan of Pepe though so if I’m wrong then hope there’s no rifts developing there.
Bollocks mate! Deal in facts, why don’t ya? He looked at the goal, then turned directly to Pepe and made the time-honoured ‘WTF, I was open’ gesture.
That said, I will – for now – put it down to his hunger to score, which is on balance, not a bad thing. Mik will grow him up, no fear.
Pepes the new Robben. Give him a rum of games and he will be fire in a flowing team
give him some rum might liven him up
pepe gonna pepe
Is it a straight red or yellow? Dark yellow perhaps?
nice! just outta interested would you ban for just the “1st” post?
I believe it’s a thing on the arses but the 3rd is just boring.
Fuck off
Trophy
Banned.
Pure hardworking, nothing less. But that said, it still screams a lack of a commanding centre presence… Hope Aouar Partey joins us soon!
Just one…we don’t have the money for two unless Lyon decide to do a Fekir.
but yeah we need at least one more in midfield.
If Partey comes in, to watch revisit on Coutinho on loan. May be a better alternative to chasing Aouar much as the Frenchman is my first choice. Lack of funds. Crazy Lyon. CL competitor.
Same must be true of Partey. Surley we have other targets if the deal doesnt work out. saying that this is arsenal were talking about so probably not.
If it’s not a target of the quality you really want then dont buy anyone. We already have average players. It’s not numbers we need it’s top talent.
Aouar will be my first choice. Team is crying out for midfield creativity. He is younger than Partey by five years and retains some resale value.
If Partey is not attainable, get Ibrahim Sangaré of Toulouse for €10million. Still raw and not as accomplished as the Ghanaian but is 22 and can improve.
We got plenty of raw midfield talents. The way i see it, either we bring someone who can slot right in or none at all
Proud of the team tonight, they did a good job nullifying the Leicester threat. Hoping to see more of Nelson this season, although, he’s down the pecking order and I feel a loan move on the cards.
So says the ornacle
I miss the Saka Martinelli combo down the left.
I feel like he’s worth holding onto the first half of the season until Gabi is back and we can be sure he can contribute in January onward. We’re going to be quite busy this fall with all the distant travel the Europa League offers, so it feels worth it to let him play in those games and any more cup games and provide insurance otherwise.
Good Boy
He probably watches them shower afterwards, like my old PE teacher
Pedo Kennedy?
Erm totally not okay to say that @Anonymarse
Those young guys sure can press–and play. The future is bright.
Hmm…Arsenal and Arteta are making a habit of beating top half sides, looks like we can get used to it ? ?
It’s just the bottom half teams we need to master now
For the first time in many years I feel like we can beat anybody in England, and I think the other teams feel it now too. What a difference!
We’ll know more Monday night. I don’t think we’re anywhere near Liverpool’s level yet–but, like you, I don’t think Liverpool will consider the three points a certainty.
Interesting, I was actually a little disappointed with Pepe. I was hoping for more given he was the ‘senior’ player in the offensive positions. Appreciate that he was involved in the first goal but thought he was largely easily dealt with by Leicester, and that’s becoming a slightly worrying theme in his performances. Just doesn’t feel like he’s improved at all since he joined, beyond perhaps being a little more committed defensively.
He always seemed to have a lot of players to get through, maybe he was identified as a threat by Rogers?
No doubt, I just can’t think of a game the entire time he’s played for us that the opposition fullback has really had a tough 90 mins.
Certainly still very much behind him, just wondered whether I was alone in my perception or people agreed. As a poster referenced below, let’s hope Arteta works some magic!
I tend to agree. He’s had many good moments, shown flashes etc etc, but feel like he’s not really settled or fully proved himself really. I’m still excited about him but hoping for more.
Surely not an excuse, the least expected from a 70 million + player at Arsenal has surely not been seen yet. Its just hard to not think of it as an overpaid deal from our side.
At the time he looked a 70M player, now he looks a 16M player. He seems one of the few players Arteta has not been able to markedly improve
I thought he was man of the match in the Cup final. Agree he hasn’t looked like that always, but aganst Leicester he was double-marked whenever he was near their 18, and had no Bellerin to combine with.
Near enough double figures for assists and goals in all comps last season. Under three managers.
We paid 72m+, he didn’t set the price, he had options. And we paid 72+ for 4/5 years. Last season 6.75.
With no pre-season, he’s simmering, it will take a game or two to get up to the boil. And they will come thick.
Gervinho, Podolski, Arshavin, Theo, we’ve had wide forwards frustrate us in the champagne era (champions league). Mikel will get him there.
Wouldn’t the appropriate response be to draw the defenders to himself and dish to a teammate who would therefore be wide open and in better position to score or threaten the goal?
Then after proving you are not one dimensional, teams can’t so easily game plan against you… ?
He doent pick his head up and see a pass and then run on into space. just dribbles down blind alleys until he get crowded out. He has pace but no idea how to use it it seems. quite worring given his price tag.
I agree partly, but in the 2nd half he was an extremely important outlet for the defense, always trying to get into the free space and then commiting at least two opposition players to him.
But yeah, I still feel like he is the right player for the wrong system. Might change over the course of the season though.
Right now, especially after tonight, I’d prefer either Willian or Nelson there.
He seems to remind me a lot of Gervinho.. lots of fancy dribbling, but end product is still a work in progres ( although we have seen glimpses) saying that after seeing what Arteta did with Sterling who was similar a few seasons ago, I am pretty sure he will be a world beater in next 2 seasons as long as the fans stay behind him
Pepe wasn’t great, but nobody fed him the ball when he made runs either. He made plenty of them today. So I won’t really fault him in this particular game.
his control and tee up to Bell (can I call him that?) in the run up to the second goal was the kind of masterful touch players of his quality make look easy.
I have to agree with you. His play is so one-dimensional – he just runs until he can’t run any more, then checks back onto his left foot. Everyone knows it and everyone is ready for it, so he ends up losing the ball more often than not.
Arjen Robben made a career out of it, hes much smarter and composed techinically for a ball retaining team than Nelson who is greedy and speculative. Pepe works hard nowbtoo, give him time
Other comments I’ve read reference the very low frequency, poor level and lack of service Pepe receives from the English young gunners, aka Nketiah, Nelson, AMN, when he plays on the right. All pure conjecture::: Possibility of clique mentality, maybe Nicolas has communication problems, conflicting attitudes, is “too French,” who knows. The young English contingent all developed together from Hale End up and Pepe is the huge money signing who some teammates think hasn’t paid his dues or grown into “one of the lads” quick enough. Or Nicolas may be an incorrigible arsehole, snot, or shy. If the difficulties Pepe… Read more »
Pepe has delivered far more than Nelson, Nketiah, Willock, yall are crazy
Seems more to me we are a left-biased team in match play. We don’t do much possession down the right wing. More often than not our AM is biasing left for combination play. I can’t remember the last time we did. That side tends to be more breakout and fast break stuff. We just don’t really seem to assemble the numbers on that side.
Willian might actually cause a shift in that, as he seems to occupy the right side of the pitch more than others in our squad.
Happy with the overall performance and the win! Hoping to see the Saliba-Luiz-Gabriel back three soon. COYG?
OK, but certainly nothing spectacular. We’ll need to play a lot better than that if/when we meet Liverpool in the next round or our realistic trophy options will be reduced to the FA Cup and Europa League pdq.
Win matters!
Do we not have any creative mid fielders in our academy?
All in all a good game. Now, let’s get Liverpool!
We fans would not mind getting used to the winning habbit at all! COYG.
EMR
Emi Martinez Rowe
ESR
Emi Saliba Rowe
your being silly… clearly its Elneny Smith Rowe
Cottrell and Cirjan too
Scruffy goals but effectively shut down Leicester’s attack for the most part. On a related note: who was doing the Livecast tonight? It was the worst I’ve ever followed: slow, scarce and uninformative. (Maybe a poor stream was to blame?)
And worst of all, free at the point of delivery. Geez.
Which, of course, means one can’t express an opinion.
Or that one can express an opinion to an expressed opinion….
??⚖️ Time was the currency. Nothing is free. Not even a free transfer.
BTW Thanks blogs and co.
Holding was very good today, kolasinac was solid and elneny kept things moving along smoothly. Solid performance from the whole team
elneny is quite good in that role picking it up off the defence turning and moving it on quickly unlike xhaka,
I really despaired of Kola in the West Ham game, but particularly in the 2nd half last night we saw the Kola who surprised and excited in his first season, with smart, hard interceptions and those mad runs down the wing. Still think he must be sold, but I’m more appreciative of what he’s brought when he’s on song.
Great win..performance not so much..but who cares
Ainsley really needed the game time today. He looked so scrappy initially. Kolasinac looked really good the second half. Hopefully that will drive up his price a bit after last game’s horror show.
Willock deserves a higher rating than AMN for this game at least.
Luiz was immense and we really need him in a back three. Glad he’s still here.
Agreed, Luiz was decent today. Willock worked his socks off as always. Thought KOlasinac had some iffy moments (Perez’s header) but generally this is not a role he is best at and we are lucky to have him still available. Meanwhile going forward is his strength and several times that physical strength came into play as well at the back winning the ball. Not his fault he is less accomplish in left of back 3. He really is a Lback/wingback. AMN as I mentioned whilst many preferred to wank off to him and wanted to sell Kola and Bellerin, not… Read more »
really youd sell amn before kola? that is almost as laughable as you saying youd sell auba before laca. get to specsavers pronto.
Nothing about Bellerin’s shorts?
bonus rating: 10/10 Hector’s shorts
They were tight! No wonder the guy has lost a bit of pace…
Shorts? What shorts? Lad was wearing a thong.
Watch the retro-fever go crazy on IG
Can someone explain to me what qualities you see in Nketiah ? That’s a genuine question, I couldn’t really watch full games at the end of last season… The one game I had time to watch he had that red card. When he’s on the pitch I don’t feel like he create danger for the opposition. Today Saka was a constant danger, I feel the same for Martinelli. But Nketiah feels talented but I don’t see him create huge chances. For those who actually watch him play, what are his main strength, weaknesses ? What is the ceiling for him… Read more »
He’s a 6 yard box poacher. Which is absolutely fine if there’s enough creativity going on around him.
He scores goals!
At this level it means he is finding space in the box and has the speed of body, but also speed of mind to know where he needs to be at a critical moment.
He has no fear or hesitation in going for a shot. He is more fox in the box finishing moves rather than a creator for others like Saka.
He is effective now but still on the upward curve, so his peak could be very high.
Thank you for you answer, I understand now.
Perfectly put Onenil. I see a lot of hate for Eddie in some comments but I think he could be class. He is like Wrighty, he just wants to score goals and has the ability and intelligence to do it. And he works his hole off too.
A creator? no, a finisher? absolutely
Agreed to a point. Wrighty scored a range of different goals. Does feel that Eddie so far is great at getting his foot on the end of the passes in the box and poaching goalmouth scrambles but that he needs more variety in his play otherwise defenders will find a way to nullify him. Plenty of scope for that development though.
That’s all Aubameyang did at dortmund. He’s developed and varied his game since coming to Arsenal
Be at the right place at the right time and be a composed finisher. Other than that nothing. His first touch is poor, he cannot dribble, he cannot pass, he cannot hold play. I don’t see it but Arteta does. Arteta is winning therefore he is right.
Inzaghi made a career out of being in the right place at the right time. Its a skill that not all strikers possess.
Eddie scores goals. That’s what he does. As far as I know, that’s quite an important part of football.
Just look at tonight’s goal. He was in the right place, tripped over their defender and still had the presence of mind to bury the chance with his face on the turf. He’s no Dutch master like Dennis but that was a natural goalscorer doing his job and they all count. In fact, review the first goal and if the defender had not scored on our behalf Eddie was there ready to tumble that into the net too. Half of our problem over the last 5 to 10 seasons is that we have tried to score perfect goals instead of… Read more »
It wasn’t so much that he tripped over the defender as ran through him. Everyone on Leicester stopped because they expected a foul to be called. Crickets. Don’t get between a goal scorer and the net.
Nobody is like Dennis. Not reasonable to compare them.
It wasn’t a comparison with the Master I was just pointing out he is a different sort of player. It didn’t do Gary Lineker’s playing career any harm by being a natural poacher and that is just what Eddie is. Right place at the right time to knock in 15 to 20 goals per season to ease the pressure on Auba. Fingers crossed anyway!
From your lips to the Football God’s ears.
A bit like DCL at Everton, or pippo inzaghi
He reminds of pipo inzaghi always on shoulder of last defender but doesn’t get involved that much. The type of player that could score a hatrick and only have 3 touches the hole game.
Regarding Nketiah’s speed of mind; late in the game he’s confronted with a waist high bouncing ball and an onrushing defender. There’s no chance of controlling it and no one to pass to. So, Eddie chips the freaking keeper and only a second defender keeps it from being a very soul crushing goal.
In addition, he closed down impressively when we pressed toward the end of the game. I suspect he’ll add qualities as he gets experience playing in Arteta’s system.
He runs his socks off; he nicks the ball off defenders and makes his own luck; he is good at hold up play. He does have the arrogance of a striker, but that’s good, no?
Good summary of the machine that is Eddie. The Dani bust-up and the post-goal frustration at Pepe are – hopefully – just manifestations of that intense striker’s drive and venom. I feel he can be a tad selfish at times – but, again, many of the great strikers are/were. You smother that killer instinct at your peril.
Similar to paul dickov when he was coming through, willing runner, good poacher, unlikely to make it at arsenal in the longrun. usefull squad player for now.
He scores goals
That’s six wins in a row isn’t it? And against some very good teams. The Kroenkes would have to be off their heavily moustached heads not to back this manager with proper investment.
Maybe that’s the problem? They think that if we can win against top sides with this team why do they need to invest?
Liverpool wasnt a win in 90 minutes tho was it?
only one team came away with a trophy.
That was the team that won 🙂
A win is a win.
Well, you know, we all think Italy won the World Cup in 2006. We even saw them raise it. But the final was a draw, AET. But France still only wear two stars on their shirts, not three.
With due regards to the changes and expected loss of fluency : 1) Leno – Solid stalwart for us. Beaten once by Madisson but had the post do the work for him. 2) AMN – Once again too many people like to jump the gun. I like AMN but as mentioned he STILL has a lot to prove. Several errant passes and slack moves which could have caused us trouble again. As I said, not much between him and Kolasinac. Of the two he has youth on his side but if there is a good offer for him over Kola,… Read more »
C’mon, plenty between Kola and AMN: Kola stronger, AMN faster. Kola can play center back in a 3, AMN hasn’t. AMN can play the pseudo midfield role from wingback (and has lined up actually in middle before) Kola hasn’t really.
They each have strengths, Arsenal should keep whoever’s are more useful to the side (unless it’s believed that AMN is likelier to attain higher ceiling).
Brilliant mate, very comprehensive
5) Kolasinac – Left of back 3 just doesn’t suit him as well but as I mentioned to some cretins, be thankful he is available.
Be thankful cretins, be thankful.
Good team effort today. Some individual room for improvement – Nelson was equally brilliant and frustrating, and Pepe needs to learn a trick besides running until there’s no more room, then checking onto his left foot and losing it. Kolasinac was as good today as he was bad on the weekend, so props to him for turning it around so well. Luiz was rock steady in defence, and Holding and Elneny were also both good. Saka is such a brilliant talent I worry he’s going to get poached to play in an intergalactic league on the other side of the… Read more »
Mané? Didn’t know he’d had anything to do with him.
Dammit! Sane!
Did Pepe not try a new trick going on to his right and causing the goal?
He remembered he had a right foot. Prime Gnabry incoming
Pepe’s rating is whack.How can he and Elneny be rated the same. Some could argue Elneny was the man of the match . We have to start accepting that Pepe is a flop and its best we sell him asap before his valuation drops to the 5 Milllion range. Good guy but he’s not worth 72Million. This is why the Kronkes will not spend money this summer. Pepe and Ozil has burnt them big time and now they are reluctant to spend until we sell. I dont blame them. Lets sell Pepe right now for 35 Million and take the… Read more »
What are you talking about?
8 goals and 10 assists last year? Nelson didn’t do that
Pepe is an expensive flop another to add to a long list in recient times. of all our big money signings only sanchez really proved to be world class for us.
Auba says hello.
One could argue he wasn’t afforded the opportunity as Pepe had much more playing time, it’s apples and oranges
To all those below who’ve echoed this (rather weirdly misinformed!) sentiment: please, please go and look at Henry’s first 20 games for the club. People were saying exactly what you’re saying now. Pepe has significantly more assists (and more goals) than Nelson. He made our first yesteday as a result of his consistently pestering them. I would agree that his work ethic needs a serious kick in jacksie (especially tracking back) but you gotta believe that Iron Mik is all over that issue. Some players simply take longer to settle – especially when from a different country, culture and language.… Read more »
I guess we won’t be seeing Meseo Guendözil in an Arsenal shirt again, but no Torreira tonight; left out to prevent injury?
Imagine if you could physically merge guendouzi and ozil too? decent player i rkn
Imagine merging the two in the machine from the film The Fly with jeff goldblum.
Thought Maitland Niles was a 5 at best, very wasteful in possesion and beaten often on his side for crosses.
Agree..had a below par game..maybe was overtrying
overtrying thats a new one.
I’d swap to give Kola 7 and Elneny 6. At least Sead got the ball forward on some plays. Mo is back to his side/backward passing ways. Sigh….
Always nice to win. Bring on Lincoln.
Sorry guys, I have recently developed very quite poor eyesight but even so still pride myself on knowing our players whilst on the pitch. However, I have to say, the “TinTin esque” caricatures are completely lost on me. If I try I could make a fist of a connection between where the guys are in the list and possibly the haircuts and beards each sport but I cannot be more accurate than that. I will therefore say that every player deserved a full 10 star rating. All were pretty bloody fantastic given the opposition being one which has, in at… Read more »
They made 11 changes so dont go too overboard. good win nonetheless.
Actually, I think my eyes may be worse than originally thought.
I should look harder as all players names were listed next to their caricatures.
Sorry!
I’ll get my coat……
Your sense of humor seems intact old-timer.
I started watching Arsenal during the 2006 tiki taka era
I don’t agree with Nelson I thought a 6 at best, very greedy shooting when he should of passed. Had some nice runs but a bit like pepe very frustrating because you know they have so much talent but playing with handbrake up.
what’s a typical elneny performance?
Wherein he behaves like a mobile brick wall for you to bounce balls off..nd create some space
Its nice to see Nelson taking risks in the final third. Good improvement by him. Things would get better for him . I hope.
Saka was so good. So mature for his age.
Holding had an excellent game and willcok was pretty decent.
Pretty much have nothing but high hopes for these young gunners to flourish under Arteta
I though our entire right hand side had a poor game. Pepe, Niles and Holding. Passing was not upto par especially when not under pressure. Niles body language was very poor today. The cavalier jogging after making mistakes or when a team mate makes a mistake is bad. He needs to work on offering an offensive presence otherwise his dream to be a winger or midfielder will die if not already dead. If he could contribute half of what Saka did today we’d have created numerous chances. Pepe didn’t do much when he had the ball so saying he was… Read more »
largely well said Fella!
Whingers and whiners out in force again I see.
Another game, another win. Be happy!
Elneny great again. Keeps the ball moving at high speed and high passing accuracy (92%).
Takes it in tight spaces and moves it on.
Should get more game time.
I have to say I really like no crowd noise tbh. At one point in the second half Nelson and Saka both drifted infield and Arteta shouted “Bukayo we need width” so Nelson ran wide. Then later on AMN was a bit sloppy winning a challenge after he moved to LWB and arteta literally yelled at him “AINSLEY! come on let’s go!” to which ainsley promptly retorted “what you shouting at me for?” but after that he was obviously fired up and gained possession a couple of times. Superb man management. Constant adjustment here and there and the occasional rollocking.
I would like to complain in the strongest possible terms that Blogs, and the voting readers in general, have not agreed with much ratings
This absurdity cannot continue.
I would like to complain in the strongest possible terms that Blogs, and the voting readers in general, have not agreed with my ratings
This absurdity cannot continue.
Another win – and so the habit grows. Never a bad thing. That said, Leno still concerns me a little – great save (but then, we know he’s a shot-stopper par excellence), but he continues to look a tad ‘flappy’ on the cross/high ball. Seems hesitant when leaving his line and just doesn’t dominate those crucial 6 yards the way Emi did, when finally handed the chance. AMN – really sloppy game. 4 shocker give-away passes, 3 of which under no pressure. He must work on his concentration over 90 mins. Kola – I posted last week about him having… Read more »
Think the last two games have shown the system is working especially defensively but there’s a serious personnel issue in the midfield. We are not playing the way we want and that would frustrate arteta knowing the last two wins are credit to clinical forward play. That said, if there was any game that relied on solid defence and clinical forward its liverpool at anfield. Really hoping we make it really really frustrating for them. I wanna see klopps jaw completely off the hinges.
Done enough to win the game