Result: Arsenal 2 – 1 Brentford
Competition: Premier League
Date: 19 February 2022
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Arsenal: Ramsdale, Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tierney, Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Saka, Lacazette
Subs: Leno, Holding, Tomiyasu, Tavares, Lokonga, Elneny, Nketiah, Hutchinson, Pepe
Arsenal put in a commanding display against Brentford to exorcise the demons of the opening day loss with a 2-1 win at home.
Second half goals by Smith Rowe and Saka punctuated their dominance though the scoreline could have been larger if not for multiple calls for penalties waived away by poor refereeing.
With this win, Arsenal kept pace with Manchester United in fourth, 1 point ahead but with 2 games in hand.
Pre-Match
Having had a good week and a half’s rest since the win against Wolves, the team remained mostly unchanged except for Smith Rowe coming in for the suspended Martinelli on the left side of attack.
Leno and Tomiyasu made the bench after recovering from Covid-19 and injuries respectively.
First Half
After over a week without a game, the Gunners had a lot of time to work on their movement and build up. That work on the training ground looked to have paid off as Arsenal started brightly with slick interchanges, patiently probing through the Brentford defence.
That pressure saw Arsenal keep 80% of possession during the first 15 minutes which resulted in 2 close penalty calls and an effort from Lacazette that was marginally offside after some silky passes with midfield.
Unable to keep Arsenal at bay, Brentford resorted to small niggly fouls with Saka the most frequent recipient of shirt tugs when in possession – all of them unfairly waived off by a referee who should have done better to discourage rotational fouling.
White, Odegaard and Partey had decent shots from distance to test the Brentford ‘keeper but none came as close as Cedric.
His well-struck half volley hit Wissa on his arm and despite several of our players crowding the referee to appeal, there was still no call for a penalty.
Despite the heavy dominance in possession (and 16 attempts on goal), the first goal proved futile as Arsenal’s attacks were repelled by a deep and stout Brentford defence.
Second Half
The 17th attempt on goal was a lot more fruitful for Arsenal as Smith Rowe broke the deadlock early on the 47th minute.
Lacazette received the ball in the centre circle and passed it to Smith Rowe on the left side of midfield. The youngster drove forward into the penalty box, cut in on his right foot and slid the ball low into the bottom corner. 1-0 Arsenal
The rest of the game continued in the same fashion. Arsenal continued to be swift in attack while defending expertly with Gabriel colossal at the back.
Smith Rowe eventually made way for Pepe and the Ivorian almost scored with his first touch. The Gunners countered on the 75th minute as Lacazette made a nuisance of himself to hold onto the ball against 2 large defenders. He slipped in Odegaard who crossed low for Pepe down the left whose tap-in was blocked on the line.
Arsenal’s attempts to kill off the game came only five minutes later on another counter attack. This time, it was Saka on the left who was played in by Partey. He made no mistake from the edge of the box to pass the ball into the far post to make it 2-0 to The Arsenal.
The Gunners had another penalty shout as Pepe was tripped in the box but yet again, the referee turned a blind eye to the foul. Brentford got a consolation goal right at the death (2-1 Brentford goal) but no matter, Arsenal’s dominance proved too much for the newly promoted side.
God. I think I’m going to be grey or bald by the end of the season. I’m sure the neutral would say “what were you worried about” but until the second goal that felt tense as hell. Great stuff from the Sak and Smith connection. So proud of those two. But I really cannot express how impressed I continually am with Odegaard. I know he missed a few good chances but the way he controls and conducts the game is so amazing to see. He’s like peak Ozil but with much more of a bite. I just love him. Really… Read more »
Nah, peak Ozil was something else. He had the fastest assist rate when we had Giroud as our striker. Odegaard is more balanced for me though, better stamina, better defense (which fits better in the modern game) – but the close control and playing thru the lines is certainly Ozil like.
Maybe you’re right. I’d be surprised if Ozil was doing much better than that at 23 though.
Well, just looked up.. He was better and then some.. He finished his first season at Madrid with 25 assists ..
Party pooper.
My pleasure!
Well stated.
People round here forget that Ozil was (and is) a sublime player. Had some really amazing years at Madrid.
He was a genius and he had flair. It’s a rare combo, like what Federer has. I am not at all talking about the end result or number of awards or trophies won but just in terms of pure beauty and elegance in their game. I think he is the best I have seen since I started watching football . Today’s ESR’s moves leading to the goal and a couple of other moves reminded me of him. Note : I haven’t watched DB10 live except in that Argentina killer, so please forgive me. Youtube videos gives the impression that he… Read more »
Must you so incessantly live in the real world ThreadRipper?
You know, not being quite as good a playmaker as Ozil is not exactly a damning criticism. I’m not sure there has been anyone else in the Prem as good in recent years. I think Odegaard is already better than Eriksen was at his best, and better than Modric played in England.
Nowhere near as good as Eriksen and Modric – even when he played over here – yet. Work ethic better than Ozil but not as talented. Change the subject but Lacazette gets worse with every game
I wouldn’t waste my time mate.
This constant revision of Ozil is laughable. It’s a wonder he ever played for Germany and Real Madrid at all, the way some clueless idiots harp on.
Mesut Ozil had the rarest world class ability to control and dictate the actions of all the other outfield players on the pitch. Players like that only come along once or twice per generation.
For Johnny to compare him to an up and coming but still inexperienced Odegaard is ludicrous.
What’s happened with you and Johnny lately? He was your idol, once upon a time.
Maybe he’s comparing their style of play, rather than actual ability. It’s obvious that Odegaard isn’t at Ozil’s peak level
Maybe he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Ah the Qwaliteee Ozil comment. Like your favourite record you haven’t heard for years coming on the wireless.
Assists to prime Ronaldo, Benzema and other top players. No Iwobi and Welbeck in the picture here.
Not a bad result though.
Arsenal 2-1 PGMOL
They scored?? I was writing my comment 😜
It was one nil and my Mrs told me to stop biting my nails. I said “I’m watching Arsenal”, she said “fair enough”.
That’s the life of an Arsenal supporter.
Agreed about Odegaard and Ozil. I said that months ago, and in the first half I thought of Ozil again when he was conducting his orchestra.
It would be great if Ode, Saka, The Smith and Martinelli could all play together. I think Martinelli’s form made people forget that The Smith was our best player before his injury.
Come on City!
I’ve no idea how it would work, but it would be fascinating to see Ode, Saka, Smith, Martinelli in the front 4 positions.
Yep, Odegaard is the one I was coming here to praise. What a conductor when he’s on song. I really hope he only gets better because he’d be such a nuisance — a nuisance stitching the play together for the MIGHTY Arsenal!
In the first half, Ode had the ball, Saka was static, Cedric overlapped and Ode pointed infield to tell Saka where to be. In a second, Cedric laid it off to Saka. Just like that, a triangle had put us in a promising position. Odegaard sees things before others do and little things like that can make a difference.
I also enjoyed him telling Xhaka to leave the free kick for him to take. He seems like a natural leader.
Can’t believe nobody’s mentioned the dummy in the first half from MO 😁
MO.
Martin Odegaard
Mesut Ozil
Coincidence?
(please forgive my horrid spelling)
Add Marc Overmars to the list of great MO’s.
And Michael Oliver for referees.
It was so good it even fooled the commentator, who said “Oops, Odegaard got away with that one”.
What a dummy. And the dummy was great too!
It fooled me for a split second, it was that good
I know right
I remember screaming at the screen, fuming he missed the ball (doing an air kick) when a simple pass was on… Boy did I look dumb two seconds later. MO fooled everyone except the lad who received the ball, Saka was it?
Odegaard reminiscent of Hleb
Behave mate. Odegaard’s a good player but ‘peak Ozil’ ….?!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I was convinced the ref would take the opportunity to send Gabriel off.
Guess he must have missed the memo…
ESR; what a boy
Not surprising coming from a Bishop
I guess Arteta saying he wants to have a convo with them riled them up some more.
To tell you how bad that was, even a neural fan said he couldn’t believe how he ref didn’t give us anything in that first half. It was so glaring, it became laughable.
Only way we were getting a pen today was if one of the Brentford boys had pulled out a sniper rifle..& even then it would’ve gone to VAR!
Three stonewall penalties plus two penalty shouts that you see given in other games. If Xhaka had committed any of them he would’ve been tied up and dangled from the roof of the Emirates by Jon Moss
Must have been broken when Pepe got tripped, they got it working just in time
The f VAR
Be happy, we won. The referee gave very little, mostly kept his cards in his pocket. I’m fine with that.
I turned to my wife after the Pepe one and said “Manchester United would have gotten that call.”
I thought ref would send him off for not taking the armband!
Just saw a similar kind of call given to City against spurs from which they scored. Only for “that lot” to score again and win. It’s amazing! The inconsistency of the refs by the way especially towards Arsenal. This happens when Arteta asks for a seat down, Imagine what happens when Arteta finally has a seat down with them, I can forsee a situation where the game after his sitting With them Ramsdale is shown a Yellow for a fantastic save, Gabriel for celebrating a goal, Odegaard for an Assist, Tierney for being the in coming captain, Partey for a… Read more »
Had my doubts with Arteta before, but if he gets 4th then I’ll humbly eat my pie. One game at a time, we’re in control whether we finish 4th.
I was one of those who had his head on a pile earlier in the season. But we are definitely playing better now. Even if we don’t get 4th, I am seeing enougg green shoots these days to be convinced we are just few 3 – 4 world class players away from seriously competing.
*pike, you dodgy keyboard!
Call me hyper optimistic, but i see myself even having sneek peeks at what Chel$ki be doing 🤷🏽♂️ not impossible, but yes, very very optimistic i know 😉
I declared second was on, at New Year’s.
Like you, I think third is possible. Why? Same game plan as we currently have….Win every foookin game!
These kids are outrageous.
Sweet Revenge.
And .. I just hope City turn up in the mood to kill.
Normally can’t be arsed to watch City or the spuds but tuning in hoping for a mauling. I’m in a good mood thanks to our beautiful boys!
Unlucky mate, hope it didn’t kill your mood. Don’t think we should (or need to!) rely on others results. Take every game as it comes and try and win. We had a bunch of results go our way last weekend and Spurs scammed their way into a win. Chelsea nicked one right at the end to – and yeah, i think they are part of our competition now. Good win today, let’s just hope for more wins continuing this run of form, and hopefully manure and Spurs trip up a couple times so we can clinch fourth, or (whispers) third
Easy win. Job done.
Fuck VAR. Pepe got tripped as clear for the whole world to see, but no VAR.
Brentford player scored a goal, then VAR makes an appearance to show they’re at work.
Wtf?
Judging by the votes, me saying i didn’t think it was a pen on Pepe prob wont go down well 🙃
I really like Pepe, hes really quality player and his cameo showed that Arteta should be able to trust him more.
I thought it was a penalty, though not so clear as all that. Our other “penalty shouts” were crap.
Explain why and you might not get so many downvotes.
Having quick and trixy feet doesn’t absolve the defenders from kicking you.
If it was Xhaka making that challenge on a Brentford player, you know the ref would have pointed to the spot
Tired of the “if it was Xhaka” comments. Makes it seem as if this guy doesn’t usually deserve whatever he gets. Constantly shooting himself in the foot…maybe one of his many penalties or reds was BS. The rest are just silly. Laca can’t score so just runs into people and dives. Pepe could have been a PK, but was very soft (he’s totally looking for that and hanging his leg), nothing else really even that close to me.
This is starting to look like a sit com where we are the ”dumb” dad who everyone laughs at even though all the bad things happening to us is unjust. Like sure, save the ball with your hnd and then laugh at Arsenal. Trip Pepe when is through on goal? Absolutely, the laughs will roar.
And that’s why it’s so crucial to get the second goal. Great result, avenging the opening loss of the season…and always great to see our two golden boys on the scoresheet.
Great game, but I still can’t understand the decisions from the ref. Especially the handball from the Cedric shot. His hand is in a bizarre position and hits his elbow. If his hand would’ve been straight it would’ve been 100% a penalty, but apparently if you just extend your elbow penalties are not give. How does this make any sense???
Try to slide on your side with your arm stuck to your side. Last year, a penalty–this season, thankfully, not.
The ball hits some other part of his body before it ricochets off his elbow. I think that’s why it’s not given.
We get 4th (or even 3rd) if Xhaka and Partey don’t get any reds till end of the season.
I completely lost count of how many times Brentford committed offenses in the penalty box and were not punished for it, I mean how many penalties were those?
Three points in the bag.
I would have no complains if we had varied our corner kicks. All 12 were easily dealt with.
15 cup finals to go; beat Wolves on Thursday and we are back in fourth if United drop points tomorrow.
COYG!
What’s with the rainbow flag when we score? It’s not pride month. It’s not gay history month. It’s not rainbow laces day. It’s an Arsenal goal.
It’s also not racist month. But we still create awareness.
Does it matter?
Imagine being bothered by that. We can’t remind people to be tolerant unless it’s the correct month? You literally prove why we actually still do need to promote acceptance of the gay community who supports Arsenal.
A lot of “johns” revealed themselves under Arsenal tweet today. Shameful
It’s not so simple as that. Many gay people like myself are sick and tired of that flag being raised by all sorts of organisations etc thats far too long winded to go into here..Maybe John has different reasons to me for not wanting to see it but it pissed me off all the same.
Unfortunately, being gay doesnt allow you dominion in the fight for equality. 👍
Go look at all the shit and vombit emojis under the tweet and tell me its not simple. V surprised you’re being an apologist for blatant and implied homophobia. Wow
Agreed, NXGoonerG. It just feels a bit patronising to me.
Just curious. What are your thoughts when u see a real rainbow in the sky generally?
What an odd thing to care about. If it bothers you that much maybe look away?
Looks like the club were promoting the Gay Gooners today, trying to foster better inclusivity of the gay community by inviting LGBT+ supporters who’d never been to a match before and putting some rainbows on display. I don’t think anyone believes that one promotional day or waving a flag solves any problems in itself, but trying to make people feel more welcome (especially when historically they might not have been made to feel welcome) can’t be a bad thing can it? Seems like a well intentioned effort to me, though clearly just a small step in the grand scheme of… Read more »
For me, a top tier center forward and an upgrade on Xhaka would take a great squad and catapult them into serious contention. Everywhere else on the pitch I’m happy with what I see.
Moss struggles as he’s usually huffing and puffing a significant distance behind the play. He possesses the ideal build for a publican in the 1970s but perhaps not for a top flight referee.
But in this match, he just had to stand around thirty yards from the Brentford goal, a bit between Smith Rowe, Tierney, and Xhaka, and watch Odegaard pass the ball.
That meeting with the PGMOL can’t come soon enough. For me one definite penalty and why is Martinelli missing a match when Fernades escapes without even a yellow?
I am starting to think there really is an agenda against this club by refs. The amount of decisions we don’t get when other teams would have is becoming laughable!
Starting?!? Is this the first match you’ve seen 😉
Jokes aside, we see these inconsistencies (that’s putting it mildly..) in the exact same match: VAR sleeps while Pepe gets tripped, then goes full forensic mode to allow their goal. And that’s not even mentioning the mid-game handball match they were allowed to play in their pen area.
The cynic in me feels like the refs love to “keep the game interesting” for the broadcasters, but of course I wouldn’t suggest anything so heinous…. Impossible to have corruption in the richest league in the world, right?
Every single Prem club discussion boards say exactly the same thing – VAR is out to get them.
Really happy to see Pepe getting some minutes. I know we have been OK without him, but we need all our players in top form if we wish to get that last Champions league spot.
What a game by Partey
That tricky dribble that should’ve have have had a pen/VAR look was something to watch, and what I was thinking about as we pumped cross after cross into a packed box. We should deploy him in these games – and Martinelli brings this also – to get in the box and draw penalties. It is classic City and Spurs and we really don’t leverage that tactic, but as we evolve to a front-foot team it’s a thing to do and Pepe has that.
Ya Partey had a hell of a game today
I hope they play that song at the end of every home match after goals from Saka and Emile Smith Rowe! 2 well taken goals from the academy studs!
Good win, great team spirit,totally dominant. But we should have closed that game long time before 2-0. The lack of a proper striker worries me a bit, Laca works hard and win many balls,but lack end product and are a poor passer, squander away many opportunities in counterattack.
I seriously beginning to think I’m into conspiracy theories now, we could easily had two penalties and to gert awarded FK seems like a steep hill to climb.
MoTM : Odegaard, absolutely outstanding player, his control of the ball and passes are a notch or two above the rest of the team.
A clean win with 11 players to the end. We don’t see this often lately. I’m happy
Clean performance
Exciting performance. Respect Laca as a pro but its like playing fifa 21 when you have fifa 22 coming out next week. Futile
The more that Arteta calls for clarity re referees decisions…….….the more they close ranks & ignore or call them against Arsenal. No accountability whatsoever.
If Arsenal want to continue winning, they must play as if against VAR and on field Ref. Expect nothing just try to score.
11 men v 14 (the ref and linesman) and VAR 😮 tough ask to get 4th but think the guys can do it
Can’t believe how biased the refs are!!! How much are these scumbags being paid? I’d have an attitude like that towards ManUre or Spuds any day of the week and justifiably so, but this, well it’s ridiculous!!!
This is a geniune request because I am F****d if I know anymore. What is the offside rule? My thinking in the past was that if a player is beyond the last defender, he is interfering with play. (There were Two)! When the ball is played to Norgaard, there was still a player that is in the eyeline of Ramsdale and the flag still does not go up and when it does, there is a VAR check! Why?? The referee has NOT made a clear and obvious error. Do you think PGMOL are now targetting Arsenal. Moss, the REg and… Read more »
I meant Ref although I did spell the Adjective for Mason correctly
Much needed win but top teams don’t concede in added on time playing against bang average teams.
Top teams also don’t allow Sp*rs to take the lead and then re-take the lead at the Etihad, until they do…
Solid performance today even if it felt nervy until the second. Gabriel abs Odegaard we’re both quality today but kudos to Partey as I thought he was immense.
Brentford, VAR and Jon Moss can all fuck off.
Going to be good when all these ref decisions balance out in the second half the season
Not sure how that Brentford goal wasn’t offside. Looked like several of their players were off on the initial freekick, and then the ball came off one of their players with another offside again. Seems pretty generous, the opposite of what happened on all the penalty shouts we had.
But good effort from everyone, though we desperately need an alternative to Laca in matches like this.
Good stuff.
The points are all that matter from now on in, so job done.
Well done, one and all.
And let’s all have a laugh at those fucking Sky songbirds Carragher and Neville. Their beloved opening day heroes lost.
people on the street should subject jon moss to the same kicking saka gets during matches
You’re out of order
I don’t agree about the penalties, except the late one for Pepe (which was not at all clear-cut in live action). We would have been furious if those completely accidental handballs, penalties last season, had resulted in penalties against our players. (And no, don’t tell me that they have–when was the last time that happened to us?) I do think Moss could have protected Saka a little better. And, once again, Cedric got away without a card that he deserved. Whatever he is saying to referees, he needs to teach the rest of the squad.
Why bother having VAR? Blatant pens not given.. enjoyed the game Namur hard to come away too elated after the late goal took some of the gloss off ( and stopped us going above West Ham.
Still looking good in the table though.
Hoping City can overturn going 0-1 down to Spurs. Do they not know that they should get batters everywhere they go?
City threatening to spoil all our hard work by bottling it against the Spuds.
City did spoil our day. They were pathetic the way they let Spuds tear through them. And Romero should’ve had a second yellow for his handball that gave City the penalty. Funny how easily we are awarded second yellows but when it comes to that lot……
Brentford goal: didn’t the ball hit ba bre player in offside position and bounce to a player that was onside?
Gabriel worth 60m easily.
Lacazette is still combining well with the youngsters, can’t easily be replaced under 20m