Kieran Tierney praised the fast start made by his teammates as Arsenal secured a much-needed 3-1 win against Chelsea.
The Scot, who won the penalty that Alex Lacazette converted to give the Gunners the lead, also thanked Bernd Leno for his contribution after the German saved a late Jorginho penalty as the home side wobbled nervously in the closing stages.
Here’s what Tierney had to say when he faced the Sky Sports cameras…
On the win…
It’s a start, innit. We needed that today. We needed to give the fans something to be positive about after a few bad results this season. As I said, it’s a good start.
On what went differently today…
I think we just started better. We didn’t wait until we went one-nil down to start playing, we created chances. It’s always hard when you go one down but we started on the front foot today and that’s been the message in training for the last few weeks. Today we done that.
On if he’s sure if it was a penalty…
No. I felt contact and I went down. I’ve not seen it back.
On the youngsters…
All the youngsters here are hungry to play. It’s a big club and they’ve got the platform to play. They came on today and they were brilliant.
On the message at half time…
Keep going. Last few weeks we’ve been in a different situation at half time. We went in a bit more confident and positive and we said keep going. It was hard work that go us there [in the lead] in the first place, so we had to keep that up first and foremost.
On a nervy ending…
Yeah, Leno dug us out of a hole there. That would have been a long five minutes [of stoppage time] had the penalty gone in. Fair play Leno, he’s an outstanding keeper. He saved us today.
On what the result gives Arsenal…
It’s a start. It’s something to build on. We want to get the first win and the three points and slowly but surely climb back up the table. It’s a good start. Yea [it helps the confidence, for sure. Chelsea are a good team. They are higher up in the table than us, so we knew it was going to be tough. To come out of the game with three points was important for us.
TESCOOOOOOOO
Every slip-le helps…
Yes!
Had a mental moment after that game finished when I thought I was going to cry. Last few weeks and months have been tough. Let’s pray it’s not another false dawn.
Let’s pray it’s a red dawn!
This is the dawn alright, Martinelli is the mechanical soul of Mikels high functioning machine . Pepe needs to do 2000 sit-ups daily and continue working on his intensity. He should model after Salah
Pepe zaha swap would be good for everyone involved
Pepe is a god
yup. i get you. it’s strange. i cried after the game. i’ve also cried in the last 10 games. tears tasted sweet instead of salty tonight.
Crying is great. If you’re that moved , give into it
Are you French? Stiff upper lip FFS.
I’ll be studying the by the numbers article especially because I think ESR had one of those matches which you don’t see with your eyes
Not alone Johnny, lots going on not all arsenal related but it all felt a lot heavier than normal. But f*cking get in!
Yeah. Lots of things. All sad in their own special way. You tell yourself you don’t care that much when the team lose. To protect yourself maybe. You try and rationalise it like “In the grand scheme of things a game of football is so unimportant” or “What difference does it actually make to my life?” But that just bottles it all up and a win like tonight reminds you why you care so much. And I think that’s a really emotional feeling. Plus seeing Mikel and his young guns smiling for once. Oh God, here I go again! Fuck… Read more »
De Bruyne just attempted a ‘Saka’ !
Cant say I felt I was gonna cry , especially regarding a football match..i just get ridiculously childlike excited when we score and just damn flat when we lose .. which that’s all we’ve done recently! The only time I ever cried was when Wenger left..just because hes all i ever knew as an arsenal manager he was the gaffa for such a long time. But being with my kids tonight and finally being able to give my daughter a positive answer for once whilst holding her new xmas arsenal teddy bear when she asked if we won was heart… Read more »
Willian played his best match of the season.
If he can repeat that every game, he gives us a chance.
Take one for the team today. We needed that kind of absenc… sorry I meant perfomance. 🙃
Honestly I understand the sentiment, but it feels so regressive to focus on players who weren’t on the pitch. Several players who were on the pitch today have played terribly in previous matches, and been hounded by fans. Maybe Willian plays well today, maybe he doesn’t. But honestly I couldn’t care less, because those who were on the pitch played well today, and they should get all the credit. And credit to Arteta for getting the result today. He deserved the criticism, and today he deserves the praise.
Well said
It’s a joke
Arsenal no joke zone.
Should be captain.
Yep
Love the player and well done today Kieran. Keep it up and lead this team forward!
Essa guid starrrt,ennit. Love KT- the dynamic lad who gives it all.
The youngsters have bought Arteta more time. If he’s a smart guy, which I have no doubt he is, he now knows the boys he should build the team around.
Saka is an absolute Gem; he made Pepe seem like a part timer.
Martinelli is a beast in the making.
Love the guy. Committed all day, every match day.
God, I love Kieran Tierney.
Immense today. Love his attitude. Players like him are hard not to admire. More of him and youngsters and we can turn the season around
Mustafi had a blinder!
He looks class sitting on the bench
I wonder if he’ll be a good coach one day. Ambitious play that’s not in line with his talent, ring side view of what’s wrong with his team’s play, passion for the game…
The sooner that plank has walked the plank, the better.
“It’s a start. It’s something to build on. We want to get the first win and the three points and slowly but surely climb back up the table. It’s a good start.” This is the attitude all the players should have right now. So much more needs to be done.
Saka was excellent today. He even stayed on the right when Pepe came on. Also, Interesting how things took a bit of a turn for the worst when Pepe replaced Martinelli?
I’m already starting to get the same positive feeling/worry about Martinelli that I do with Partey, Tierney and Saka. Any other option replacing him just feels like such a downgrade in terms of the kind of team we want to see going forward that I basically never want to see him dropped. And we can’t start him against both Brighton and West Brom, so Pepe will really have to step up his game to really get some momentum going whilst not playing martinelli, saka etc into the ground.
Players like Martinelli are so important because they determine the tempo of the team especially when they play forward and everyone can see how much he is giving. Players will unconsciously reach for more because he is giving more. It become contagious, especially if you partner with him, you have to begin to move that fast to successfully pass with him. These are the types of players we have been discussioing we need, first andf foremost, they have to have a winning mentality, KT, GM, BS, GM, TP, ESR all have this winning mentality. Good spine for the club for… Read more »
….aaaaand breath. COYG
But but but emi is a better keeper…!
Yeah, he’s so not.
Ya’ll can stuff it.
Big game. We’re turning a corner. Arteta needs time to establish a team identity and will make mistakes along the way. Young players like Tierney, Saka, Martinelli and Gabriel are good enough. Great to sde Partey will be a great signing. Auba on a bad trot which won’t last forever. Stick with it.
And please stop bringing in has beens from Chelsea on inflated salaries.
Speaking of has-beens from Chelsea on inflated salaries… I like David Luiz and would still keep on that list of senior players that can have a big impact on our season *ducks for cover*
No thank you, pass. He’s a good player when he wants to be, not the mentality we are looking for in the squad.
I’ll take Giroud back in a flash.
Another solid, no-nonsense performance.
In my opinion, he should be the club captain.
He’ll be in a year or two.
Love when KT was shouting at Pepe late in the game because Pepe was being his typical fucking useless self and standing around instead of making a run. KT is a future proper captain
I hope saka and Martinelli can stay fit so they can keep pepe out the team. Hope Arteta don’t go changing stuff for the sake of over thinking
I’ve stuck by Arteta because I think he’s proven he can do well but if he drops these young players that will change. Surely he sees they are better players than Pepe/Willian. Who this season has had a better game in MF than ESR today? Maybe Partey against Utd but other than that he ESR is miles better than anyone we have in MF
See what happens when you play youth?? ARTETA?? Pepe shouldn’t be starting over Martinelli and Saka. This was what got Emery lots of wins last season. He started Saka and Martinelli consistently and Auba and he got goals and assists galore. and then he started playing Pepe and Mustafi and never figured out his defense and playing front he back and then xhaka that’s why he got sacked, If Arteta is smart he should keep his defensive structure but stick to what got emery goals last season which was SAKA MARTINELLI AUBA LACA
Well said.
This guy oozes Captain to me… More so than any other player we have right now. Works hard for the team, knows when to foul or take a yellow, and most importantly seems to hold others accountable. I love when he screams at Pepe to make a run or work harder in defense. He’s exactly what we need more of…
Surely you could afford to highlight some others. Tierney wasn’t the only instrumental player on the day. Two of the goals were from right side. Granted this is lifted off a Sky interview but you could run a piece on how some of the senior players are showing good side of aggression. I would highlight Lacazette today who did tireless work covering and nicking the ball deeo but also scrapped higher up and distributed the ball wide quickly providing better counters from us. Plus he dispatched a prper penalty unlike Jorginho (Leno had him sussed) Also Xhaka showed the good… Read more »
Cogent, spot on and length not longer than a single screen. 8/10.
My captain
that what we need,keep it up magunners.
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/soccer/unquestionable-arteta-praises-xhakas-arsenal-commitment-after-starring-in-chelsea-win/ar-BB1cfRaq Its not that other players do not get a mention as well, just saying Blogs you need to lay out a more varied fare instead of steering the view toward one angle only. Know I don’t say things that are popular but this is a good site compared to others which prefer bias confirmation. Xhaka needless to say also divides opinion but credit when its due and if Arteta can bring out the positive side of his aggression (which he did last season), we have a very good asset without having to fall to daft logic like Jaime Carragher… Read more »
Xhaka played great yesterday, was all over the pitch and was oozing confidence. Manager did well to have him ready to go at first whistle. I don’t want to see Xhaka/Elneny but I also don’t was to see Ceballos, your point of the manager not really having other options is well taken and frankly more supporters have to look at the context decisions are made rather than screaming into the void that someone is shit. Xhaka played with the confidence like he was captain in the Swiss team, he was brave with his passing. He doesn’t usually do that from… Read more »
This was the Xhaka we hoped to see when we first bought him, but he only truly performed on rare occasions. This Xhaka is the exception, sadly not the norm. Credit where it’s due he was brilliant against Chelsea. Had his usual bad defending giving away FK to Mount early in the game but we were not punished for it.
Well played… This is why some fans are frustrated because we know what Arsenal are capable of doing. Hopefully we can push on now. My front 3 will be Auba & Martinelli on the wings and laca in the middle.
Tierney is coming along well after his tough start with the injury. Long may he continue and if he could work on cutting in every now and then using his right foot to mix it up he’d become unplayable.