Gabriel Jesus scored twice, while Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli grabbed a goal each to help Arsenal beat Leicester 4-2 at the Emirates this afternoon.
In truth, the 2 for Leicester flatters them, while the 4 for Arsenal doesn’t really signify the dominance Mikel Arteta’s side had during this game. William Saliba’s own goal might have added some nerves, but Arsenal responded straight away. Similarly, James Maddison making it 3-2 could have produced a nervous last 15 minutes, but Martinelli added breathing space with a superb goal.
Some of the football Arsenal played was intricate and devastating; Jesus has brought a new dimension to the team’s forward play and should have had a hat-trick; and the Gunners were more than worthy of the 3 points on the day.
Here’s how the players rated this afternoon.
Read the Arsenal 4-2 Leicester report and see the goals here
Arsenal 4-2 Leicester – Player Ratings
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Jesus is amazing.
Love our first team. And the bench looks solid, too.
Happy days
Bench is a level or two below the first 11 especially when I see Pepe but yes we went up in level I feel with Jesus in the final third. What is up with Saka he doesnt look like himself
Maybe he’s a 20 year old kid who’s started over 100 games for club and country over the last 2 years?
Unlike last year, there is less reliance on Saka this year with Jesus coming in and Martinelli taking his game up a level or two. When a player starts to invite and hold a challenge, you know they are ready – such authority in his game now and very intelligent use of the ball. This is Martinelli’s breakout season, I jus hope he stays injury free.
It will look a lot better once everyone is fit as well. Especially if there are any other signings like they keep indicating.
Speaking of other signings, I wonder what Tielemans was feeling out there during that first half masterclass…
Totally agree on the happy days.
And I’m sorry glad that we got Zinchenko instead of the butcher of Amsterdam , cos he is really getting butched at the moment.
COYG
10/10 Arsenal playing so excitingly! CoYG!
Also our fans immediately applauding a defender after a mistake! Imagine Man U fans doing that for Maguire, as if!!
The difference is that Saliba is good, while Harry just has a massive head
I’m currently enjoying salty Man Utd fans blaming Lisandro Martinez for the third goal in their pasting by Brentford. To think, we got Zinchenko for half the price, what a deal!
Maguire AKA Snipers Dream.
Love how the fans clapped Saliba after the OG – great fans we have
How can he not want to renew now? He surely has to know he’s loved here?
I think it’s clear Xhaka has a lot more freedom now, and I appreciate not a lot of people talk about him. I was wondering now, we might see a lot more goals from this season. A LOT more goals and we’ve needed that contribution in the past but he didn’t have the license back then, that’s what I took from today.
Don’t need Tielemans anymore
I think we still need that competition for Xhaka, whether that’s Tielemans I don’t know (based off today’s performance?)
But Saka and Xhaka aren’t made of concrete, not reasonable to expect them to play every single game.
Please please can we sign Tielemans!! I think he could have the same level of impact as Jesus and Zinchenko. Not hating on any of the current squad, but would just love him added as well.
But I’m starting to look at it differently now because I felt the same before. I think the way edu and Arteta see it, is they want to bring in a top player to raise the level higher than what we have. Tielemans feels very mid-table sort of profile now.
This. I think they’d rather sign a world class CM next summer than someone they’re not 100% sure about. I think Xhaka is probably good enough to hold it together in there for one more season.
I’d still rather have Renato Sanches – harder, solid, huge engine. We don’t really need another deft creator, with ESR, ODE, Viera… even Partey. A good old Gliberto-esque breaker of attacks – bring it on.
That competition is called Sambi Lokonga I think…
or in the right configuration, viera or ESR. heck, what about tierney at lb and zinchenko in midfield?
That’s also part of Mik’s thinking, I feel.
True, but Xhaka is made of granite.
He’s literally 100% Granite. Says so on his profile
Nah they are made of Granit
I agree I think Tieleman is a bit overrated. when you zoom in and analyze his game and numbers stats etc you see Tielemans is bang average. he is not an upgrade to Xhaka. As a squad player he could do a job but I think we can get better I like Sandro Tonali
Arsenal rarely had top Italian players.
I know we’ve had some top Brazillians but not like this so things can change dude. But no I can’t see Tonali leaving Italy.
Renato Sanches
I think the compounding of that hard work on the training-ground that we keep hearing everyone rally about, season after season, is starting to finally pay off. If so, lets hope Xhaka gets paid in full. He had a blossom game today and as a person who have criticized him ALOT in my own head, I couldn’t be more happy for him.
The boys upfront did great and as time goes on they will only get sharper. Can’t say exactly the same for United though. 4-0 @ 34 min, good lord!!!
COYG
Playing further forward takes Xhaka away from the areas where his mistakes have more serious consequences.
I also think his physical style works well around the box where he can scrap for the half-balls and get involved in goal-mouth action. We under-rate the physical side of his game in a very physical league.
Almost all of Xhaka’s costly mistakes come pretty directly because of his lack of pace. If he makes a mistake in positioning and lets a player get by him (as everyone occasionally does) he does not have the recovery pace to make up for it–he has to grab or hope someone is covering for him. Those mistakes are rarely as costly.
Agree – far less risk for him higher up the park. We saw a glimpse of the bad old days when he got dispossessed that one time today… but those incidences are less frequent now.
I do worry that he will miss a few chances simply due to not having the quick feet of an ESR though…
I believe he’s playing Sana’a future role. It just makes sense.
Saka’s*
Zinchenko! Wow! The way he transitions into midfield and plays like a top midfielder and goes back to being left back and be just as amazing! Super impressed. Was that Xhaka or Ramsay?
Martinelli and Jesus were outstanding! But I was super excited how Zinchenko played! What a signing!
He is just so extremely secure on the ball
Zinchenko and Martinelli together are going to create a lot of chances. They already seem to have that connection. Zinchenko was a fantastic pick up.
10/10 for the fans signing “Jamie Vardy your wife’s a snitch”
^grass
Good job none of our players have anything dodgy happening with them outside of the football pitch that rival fans could chant about, eh?
I also liked:
We’ll see you next week
We’ll see you next weee-eeek
Youri Tielemans
We’ll see you next week
Jamie oh Jamie
Your wife’s a grass.
And all you can do
Is dive on your arse.
Good work, please continue 👍🏻
I love this team. Nelli and Jesus both got a ten from me. I had Saliba same as you for the same exact reasons. COYG!!!
Great that the fans applauding Saliba today. If the fans show him love, he is a starter for sure there is nothing more we can do to keep him long term. What a player he is.
Martinelli was just incredible today
Absolutely roasted Fofana, we lovely to watch.
There was one moment where the look on Fofana’s face was utterly priceless.
I almost felt sorry for the poor lad.
And then I thought, ‘Nah, fuck it!’
Some truly exhilarating moments of Arteta-ball. Our bench is so much stronger than last year too – and it will need to be.
COYG!!!
It’s brilliant you can bring on the likes of Tierney, Smith-Rowe and Tomiyasu when last certainly last season they would have been some of the first names on the team sheet. Fabio Vieira to come and whoever we sign as well…
Beautiful to watch. Such vision and skill on display. Defensive lapses were odd, but Leicester has talent and is well managed.
Partey was my lowest rated player and he did his job well except for a couple bad passes.
GM abused the rb today. Just abused him.
on a different note, Sam Walton family members now own all Denver pro teams except the mlb Rockies and an outdoor lacrosse team and of course nfl rams and Arsenal.
three of those teams won their league championship. Arsenal’s turn.
damn shame they don’t spend money.
I wish they would buy the Rockies.
Might want to check your names before posting… Sam KROENKE owns the majority of Denver teams, not the Sam WALTON family… The Waltons own Wal-Mart and of course Sam’s, as well as the Denver Broncos
Stan*…
Kroenke is a member of the Walton family. Married into it. Legally Stan owns none of the denver teams, wife Ann Walton kroenke holds them in her name because of nfl rules
otherwise did you have a point?
Rockies would still suck. They are after all the Rockies
Agree on Partey, I think I counted 4-5 times he passed the ball directly to Leicester.
Martinelli..so much fight.
Also lol at Man U. The season so far is way more perfect than i could possibly hope for. 😀
Better if Chelsea and Sp*** both lose tomorrow…
Not sure when 2 teams play each other they can both lose the game… How bout if they draw 0-0?🙃
How about get a last-minute winner but get a points deduction for a meltdown just before that?
Win-win!
Sp*rs get
Speaking of which… how was that panty-flinging session between Conte and Tuchel? Luvvin’ it!
They’re playing each other. A draw would be alright; both dropping two points.
I still want both of them to lose.
It’s one of those games where if someone takes the lead you feel it’s a shame there has to be a winner.
I do feel that but then after I smile because then I realise there’s a loser. Focus on who loses more than wins, though deep down I hope all of their players get suspended and clubs get points taken off.
We can hope for a 22 man brawl and lengthy suspensions.
This aged well😂
Not sure that’s possible….
They drew – best possible result for us.
4-0 down at half time 😀
Hysterical. In our game I laughed out loud at Jonny Evans trying to defend Martinellli/Jesus. He was on roller skates. Remember when you turned us down Jonny? I do..
You mean Ajax B…
10/10 for the fans.
What a difference compared to last season.
Never was much of a fan of Arteta but watching All or Nothing on Prime I really respect his passion and love for this club.
And he is building a great team at Arsenal.
I just wonder if we will sign another player before the 31st !
And Manure aare 2-0 down…
I wonder if Martinez is now thinking he made the wrong decision in turning down Arsenal.
I am glad he did because Saliba might never have got his chance…
Wouldn’t affect Saliba, but we wouldn’t have got Zinchenko. Martinez was targeted for LB. Didn’t want to reply but I had to correct you there. Dodged a massive bullet.
Zinchenko was never completely ear marked for the left back role – I suspect when Arteta is completely happy with Tierney’s fitness he will perhaps slot into central midfield.
His signing allows us to better manage Tierney because he is competent in that position – I suspect Tierney’s injuries were as much a result of being rushed back because Taveres was so poor than his perceived physical frailties.
Not sure what any of that has to do with your original point that Saliba may have not got his chance if not for Martinez.
Some may say it was more of a little bullet
0/10 Mike Dean’s inability / unwillingness to see the Vardy dive after 2 minutes of replays, but instantly dismissing the Gabriel Jesus penalty claim.
No I think we should say fair play to the bastard for once. The right decision can take as long as it takes, but where the f**k was the yellow card for vardy diving?
Both Mike Dean and the on-pitch ref messed up.
We should expect better than one good decision cancels out a bad one
I imagine him in that room, far from the action, wondering how he can still make the headlines all about him.
VAR should have called him to take a look at the Jesus penalty. They didn’t want to have a referee reverse himself on two decisions in a game, especially not in favour of Arsenal.
I don’t like defending Mike Dean, but he said it wasn’t a penalty–that’s good enough. In addition, I think that VAR’s are not allowed to recommend a yellow card. They are definitely *not* allowed to recommend a yellow when, for example, a referee has not given a card at all; in those circumstances, they can only say whether or not it was a serious error for the referee not to send the player off. They can’t say it was a serious error not to caution him. I think–but am not certain–that the same applies to a penalty. When a VAR… Read more »
Where did I assume in my statement that VAR was responsible for no yellow?
I know it’s on the ref, he decided it wasn’t a penalty, therefore he should’ve received a yellow for diving even after claiming for it. Last week Xhaka received a yellow for diving in middle of the field, it’s inconsistent.
Wagertha Christie novella must be quite the news in Leicester bus back home.
Meanwhile big mouthed Gary Neville: Man Utd need to blow up for Arsenal to finish in the top 4. Yeah right.
They blew up a long time ago
Stay clever, keep ‘em together 😂
Now that’s what I call a home debut.
Man U hahahaahaha
On the preview pod, Andrew was speculating that it might get a bit boring if we are just good all the time. Based off that performance I can reassure you blogs that no, no it will not. May the goodly mornings continue forever
Didn’t blogs just say the other day that we need more threat from our left hand side? Zich/Gabbi/Xhaka was outstanding on that side today! I can’t wait til Tomi is back so we can complete our right hand side. COYG!
I am equally impressed by our performance today, would’ve had been great to frustrate LCFC to clean sheet but we couldn’t.
Probably next time, as for today, we enjoy the win & the massive 3points.
Can’t wait to see the epl table read 12points from our first 4 games, giving a scary momentum against ManUtd, hahaha!
Great performance guys, COYG!!
I’m hoping we have 15 from 5 before the United match
It looked like a MARSenal performance, some of our attacking in the final third were out of this world. I knew Jesus was not human.
10/10 the crowd to Saliba when he scored an own goal
Jesus said it first – Martinelli is a beast. Great effort across the board. Pleased to see Xhaka playing so well and keeping his temper under control.
Considering the heat the running Jesus and Martinelli did was unbelievable. They are going to cause havoc this season. I was exhausted just sat in the stands.Well done lads.
While those who cry and will always cry, we march on. Great day – lovely performance.
Those of you who have spent your lives bringing us down, you will have to wait yet another day to shit on our club. 2 games – fun to watch, great performances ..and 6 points.
Your sadness we did well, adds to the win. You fucks know who you are. Piers and you can circle jerk your bullshit…hugs. So happy. So, so happy.
Fuck the pundits on ESPN soccer who thought Jesus was an underwhelming signing.
I hate to say this, and it’s likely incredibly unfair… But when Tierney came on he looked a little one-dimensional compared to Zinchenko (basically, and overlapping, hug the line, wingback). Obvs that is incredibly useful at times, but the way Zinchenko controls that left/middle space seems so important in us controlling the game and transitioning through the middle.
I do love Zinchenko, but I think he was a little responsible for the Madison goal. And Tierney was very dynamic before he got those multilple injuries. I am very happy to have both players available.
*Maddison
I think Tiernay is a very good player, but I wonder if Zinchenko fits the way Arteta want us to play a bit better. Not necessarily better, but they certainly don’t play the position in the same way. Personally I am glad to have them both, and I imagine Zinchenko will be finding minutes in other positions as well this season. Perhaps Tiernay can also offer Saka a breather as needed.
10/10 for the fans for how they responded to Saliba’s own goal
Great performance lads and the fans deserve 10/10
Saliba OG was a very bad mistake – he wasn’t really under much pressure and could see where he was heading. Aside from that he looked like GOD!
Player rating not showing now, on my old browser (Firefox Legacy Mac) shame but understandable i suppose … we move on, well some of us do
10/10 should also be for the fans cheering on Saliba after his mistake!!!