Arsenal: Runarsson, Cedric, Mustafi, Mari, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Elneny, Pepe, Nketiah, Lacazette
Subs: Leno, Macey, Tierney, Saka, Ceballos, Willian, Holding, Chambers, Willock, Smith Rowe, Balogun, Azeez
—
Goals from Alexandre Lacazette, Pablo Mari, Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe gave Arsenal a 4-1 win over Rapid Vienna at the Emirates this evening.
As usual there was heavy rotation with a first start of the season for Pablo Mari, while Calum Chambers made the bench.
The Gunners dominated possession in the early stages, cheered on by the 2,000 fans allowed in the stadium for the first time since March, and there was an early goal when Alexandre Lacazette thumped home from 30 yards for his first goal since September. 1-0.
Shkodran Mustafi missed a great chance to double the lead when he headed a Nicolas Pepe cross wide with the goal at his mercy, but fellow centre-half Mari did just that in the 18th minute, flicking home smartly from a Reiss Nelson corner to make it 2-0.
Whether it was the crowd or something else, there was a lot more zip about Mikel Arteta’s side, and Lacazette almost scored again when his first-time strike from a Nelson pass clipped the outside of the post.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles was next to have a go, dinking a left footed effort wide after an excellent run into the Vienna box, and just before the break we scored again. Arsenal worked it down the left, Lacazette sent Pepe through, he cut it back to Nelson who laid it off to Nketiah. The striker’s first attempt was save well by the keeper, but he reacted quickly to nod the ball home and make it 3-0.
The visitors made two changes at the break, and got a goal back after just two minutes. Alex Runarsson’s first save saw the ball go back into danger, Kolasinac made two very good blocks, but the keeper was perhaps too easily beaten by Kitagawa from 12 yards out. 3-1.
Lacazette forced Streinbinger into a good save in the 58th minute, and the Rapid keeper denied both Maitland-Niles and Pepe inside a few seconds as the Gunners pressed for another goal.
Pepe then drove into the box and cut inside when it was open for him to take a shot on his favoured left foot, much to Mikel Arteta’s displeasure, before the manager made a triple change. Lacazette, Elneny and Nelson made way for Emile Smith Rowe, Dani Ceballos and Willian in the 64th minute.
Pepe almost created one for Nketiah, but the striker couldn’t quite stretch enough to get the touch he needed for a tap-in, but Maitland-Niles delivery to Smith Rowe saw the substitute tap home from close range to make it 4-1. “Welcome back bro!”, said AMN in the celebration huddle.
Calum Chambers was introduced in the 69th minute, his first appearance since his ACL injury in January, replacing Mustafi. Willian saw an effort saved, Ceballos tested the keeper with a free kick from 25 yards, and Folarin Balogun came on to replace Nketiah in the 81st minute.
Chambers had a header cleared off the line, Balogun and AMN combined well in the box before the defender cleared, and a succession of corners kept pressure on the visitors in the closing stages. Willian shot wide in the 90th minute, and Balogun almost made it 5 after good movement saw him get on the end of a Ceballos delivery.
In the end, a good win, some nice goals, and so great to see fans back inside the ground to appreciate it.
Arsenal just can’t work out whether to play on professional or world class difficultly setting.
I think they’re into the whole setting the cpu and players different stats too. But yes, spot on
Hahah! Good one jonny. I always get stuck between them too!
Despite playing professional and scoring 4 I thought Petr Cech was in world class settings for them today
Lets move the stadium to Austria!
I bet Arteta spends hours adjusting those sliders in pursuit of the perfect difficulty setting.
Job well done today!
Albeit against limited opposition, return of some familiar Arsenal way, even 1 touch football and goals!
Good to see the return of Mari, Calum as well goals for Laca and Smith.
Vienna your Schick and you know you are!
Is Reiss Nelson the worst dead ball taker in the history of football?
He must really be killing it in training to be afforded the responsibility. Suffering from the in-game confidence malaise that’s infected everyone to a degree.
Well, I think it’s fair to say that Mikel really, really hates Pepe so he could play a lot this season.
The look he gave Pepe after he cut inside instead of shooting… 😬
He certainly should have shot, too clever by half–but, despite this and a couple of other moments, he had a very good match. Between him and Maitland-Niles for MOTM.
Ok, Lacazette too.
He did assist Pablo Mari’s goal from a corner….
I can assure you I am considerably worse.
I can’t believe a pretty much dead rubber game and yet the best game I’ve watched in weeks. Maybe it was just down to the fans being back
Reiss and Laca should start Sunday. Hoping that’s why he took them off fingers crossed!
Vienna made 9 changes to an already league 1 standard team. Wouldn’t get too excited about it.. let’s what things look like by the end of December..
Leno
Bellerin-(Holding?)-Gabriel-Tierney
AMN-Ceballos/Elneny
Nelson-Laca-Saka
Auba
ok enough I guess, really liked Laca playing deeper; however he will face tougher marking compared to today. would he be able to get it done?
Nooooope
Elneny over ceballos any time
Great win, I forgot how much I loved Arsenal passing quickly and scoring goals! Let’s keep it up lads. I also loved hearing our actual fans in the stadium rather than that simulated bullshit. I specially loved them cheering our players for good runs and tackles. But what baffles me a lot in our recent games is that didn’t we sign a set piece specialist in the summer? I have not yet felt his impact, particularly in attack.
Hi Bryan.
This means nothing to me.
You are boring.
Aaaahhh… Vienna!
Happy that I got the point there 🙂
What a fun game that was to watch! Real attacking intent, confidence boost for Laca, players returning from injury, more of the same on Sunday please!
Ah shaddap-a you face 😉
Whats-a-matter you eh?!?!
I gotta no respect!
🤣
Thank you, sir, thank you.
Find a hobby then, something that you enjoy. There are plenty of good books and movies to peruse rather than spending the evening watching your team win well and not taking any pleasure from it.
Showing your age there BB 😉
See what you did there Bossman. Nice.
Subtle, but enjoyable. Thanks BB
Oh god I just got this. Well played 🤦🏽♂️
I don’t get this…
It’s a song from the eighties, by ultravox I think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJeWySiuq1I
You mean nothing to Arsenal
That really did make me laugh!!! … I’m assuming that all the negative comments and down vote know about context.
Oops.. Know nothing about context!
Well played sir!!
I actually enjoy watching Europa more these days. Because these games is what “Arsenal” & words like “Dominating”, “Aerial Bombardment”, “Sustained Pressure”, “Seige” & “Battering” is synonym. Rarely these days to be honest. But having been watching since the Yans Lehmann era, this is the Arsenal I recognise us as. Please, don’t remind me on reality. At least for now. I kinda like it here.
To be fair, most of those terms apply to us in the league too, just from the other direction.
Haha good one!
Thoroughly enjoyed that one. The inventive football, the sharp passing, the movement; it was everything that has been lacking from our play of late.
Hope this wasn’t a one time thing, but an indication that work is been done on the training ground.
COYG
our hale-end graduates do really connect well against each other.
Good job. Liked Mightland-Nails in the middle, like Pepe through the middle. Will things improve against decent opposition? I hope so. Balogun is a unit and hope to see more of him this season.
saka-auba-willian/nelson and laca at 10 pls
A nice enjoyable evening.
Let’s be honest: Rapid Vienna were awful, but you can only beat what’s in front of you. We were wasteful and should have scored eight.
Nice performance by Laca, who looked good as a number 10. Ceballos excellent when he came on.
This game will have nothing to do with the Spuds game. But let’s hope we get a result on Sunday.
We are noob. That’s a fact.
Everything about that was so good, the fans,the goals, Pablo and Calum back, so much to enjoy.
Runnarson’s distribution = very impressive.
Pepe = constant threat on the left. This should be his starting position going forward.
Elneny = so good in the early stages. Later seemed a bit off. Hope no problem there.
Cedric = great game!
Nketiah = POACHER.
Lacazette = never knew he could play the number 10 role so intelligently.
Mari = good to see him back on the pitch again. Good goal too.
I thought Elneny looked very rusty throughout, misjudging the weight of passes, being a step slow to react, but it didn’t look like anything more than that. People always seem surprised that Cedric played well, but he almost always does. That doesn’t mean his contract was a good idea, or that he should ever start if Bellerin is available. But he is a Premier League-quality fullback.
Have you only started watching Lacazette this season? That was normal for him before his injury and why he was our player of the year 2 seasons ago
Lacazette is a class act period. That he never got the same leniency than Ozil despite having ten times his talent. He can spot a pass, tackle, dribble and SCORE. AMN was really good tonight. Nice to see Chambers back. COYG
I know it’s “only” Rapid Vienna but it’s good to see a win again.
Not 10-0 and we conceded a goal.
ArtetaOut
Great to see Pepe so involved throughout the game. Limited opposition perhaps but long may that continue.
WE MOVED! When we had possession, players actually tried to move into positions to offer the option of a pass. And the lads looked like they enjoyed themselves.
Think kolo should of blocked the 3rd shot as well 🤪
I woulds be interested in seeing this team play, though I don’t know where it leaves Saka. Don’t care that both CBs are left-footed. Thoughts?
Leno
Bellerin—–Gabriel—–Mari—–Tierney
Partey
Smith Roe Elneny
Laca
Pepe Auba
smith rowe isnt a CM, it matters alot about the CBs footedness when we play out from the back.
culling AMN for ESR after tonight seems criminal.
I’m an Arsenal fan that have a negative opinion on every victory. And every defeat. And every draw. And every style of play that isnt peak Wenger when Arsenal won the pl. I’m entitled to my opinion, and my opinion is that we should fire every manager that dont win every game. And my pointless opinion is very, very important.
And I will always defend your right to express your pointless opinion. Even when I 100% disagree with it.
Have a beer, it’s Friday…
I remember not so long ago when Arsenal fans were despising the EL… Now it’s a feast when a win against a low team sounds like a PL title.
That’s more like it!!! Now let’s stop slagging off individuals and get behind the team for Sunday now we’ve all realised it’s the fans the players need.
Europa League a pleasant distraction from the grim reality of the Premier League.
Loving play against this level of opposition!
With a massive caveat that we should be rolling over all these teams in our group anyway considering their level, a good win (Considering Spurs struggled today against similar standard rival) 1) Good to see Both Mari and Chambers back in action. A lot more choices now for Arteta at the back ( 27m Willian notwithstanding) 2) Back 3 best policy. For the most part, we just look more familiar with it. 3) Lacazette. I hope Arteta is not tempted to make another mistake and leave him out of this weekend. Clearly VERY effective given license to drop (as I… Read more »
Was this match’s football a glimpse into artetaball? I’ll be pleased if this is the thpe of football that he wants to play.
I think this is the type of football he wants Arsenal to play. It’s just that we don’t have better players to this against stronger and faster opposition
This is what happens when we attack with the ball. Senior team members please take note!
Lucky that our opponents last night were not subject to British Law. “Rapid” Vienna could have been done under the Trades Descriptions Act.