Reiss Nelson is the darling of North London this evening, after his late, great winner earned Arsenal three invaluable points against Bournemouth.
Having fought back from 2-0 down to 2-2, the referee signaled 6 minutes of added time, but by the time the the Hale End winger pulled his foot back to shoot, we were almost in the 97th minute.
As we know, the ball flew past time-wasting keeper Neto and into the back of the net. It’s the second time this season that Nelson has come off the bench to make a big contribution, and he reflected on unquestionably his most important goal in an Arsenal shirt.
“It dropped onto my right,” he said. “I wanted to hit it with my laces on my right but I saw the defender coming out, so I decided to shift it onto my left and then just had to hit through it, aim for the top bins – something like that!
“I’m just happy it went in – I’m delighted with it. I didn’t start the game, but I came on with the instructions just to play forward, try and get as many one-on-one opportunities as I can to create something, and I did.”
He sure did. The 23 year old drew praise from Mikel Arteta afterwards, not least because he hadn’t even made the squad for the games against Aston Villa and Leicester. Eddie Nketiah’s injury today opened the door for him to make the bench, and his professionalism was something the manager was keen to highlight.
“I always saw the potential, the talent and the desire for him to do it but I think he’s at a different level right now,” he said.
“I think emotionally, the experiences he’s had has helped him. Football-wise, it was my decision not to put him in the squad in the last two games because we had other options. But he’s knocking on the door.
“He’s been training really well and it’s a good lesson for me and the coaches that we need him and that he can really be important in the team.”
Worth a start Thursday
Absolute legend! I was thinking Martinez own goal was gonna be at the top of my highlights for this season. Like if we win the title this season, that was the goal we will remember the season by. “Remember that Emiliano Martinez own goal?”
But after today this will probably the “Remember that Nelson goal” season!
Both equally important and beautiful though…
Given our injury situation and lack of players available up front I am pretty sure he would have started on Thursday anyway, but that goal will boost his confidence and his teammates confidence in him. He made a lot of Arsenal fans happy like Ian Wright today. Thank you Nelson.
He was my favorite young Arsenal player since I saw him play for the U-15s. I missed his debut for Arsenal due to dinner arrangement with my future in laws. I kept telling my wife that Reiss had all the talent and would be a great player if he only believed more in himself. Today we both celebrated like absolute madness. Haven’t celebrated like this since Jens Lehmann saved Riquelme’s spot kick in the UCL semifinals. My word. COYG, one game at a time, but imagine if we won the league like this.
Today’s contribution, especially the winner, can only come from a player who has confidence in himself. A less confident fellow would dither, looking for a player seemingly better positioned. Besides, the scorcher came from his weaker foot.
In seasons past, he would get the ball but mostly go for safe side pass option and be very reluctant to make decisive passes or take players on 1v1. This season he’s taken a step up. I always thought he needed that moment in Arsenal jersey to really announce himself in the league. I thought he had it vs Southampton but then he struggled with injury again in the midseason break. Tonight he really went for it full tilt, looks like his self belief is finally there.
When you have fewer chances to stake your claim, you’ve got to take them when the come
I said it on the other thread but I’ll say it again here because it honestly makes me so happy to see someone (and even more a Hale End product) do something like that after basically becoming an afterthought in our season, spending half of it injured and barely getting into the squad for this game. Imagine what Reiss’ performance today does to Tierney, Kiwior, ESR, Turner, Holding, Tomi, to all our academy prospects and to anyone else that plays for us in coming seasons that isn’t getting that much into the team and feels frustrated, like they’re not having… Read more »
Well put Ebo.
What a day for Reiss.
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve watched the goal and celebrations about thirty times now. One moment that makes me laugh is right after the goal, you see Arteta just sort of wandering down the touchline by himself in a daze before getting a congratulatory handshake from some toddler! hahaha!
Just magic! He was so good today
He was. And how about those subs, eh?! ESR gets an assist, White gets a goal, and Nelson gets an assist and a goal.
The sound of the crowd when it flies in, the Odegaard collapse, Gabriel losing control of his legs, Saliba kicking the shit out of the corner flag (I believe the camera followed him because they assumed he was the goalscorer), Xhaka desperately trying to chase down Nelson, the coaches faces, Nelson’s face, it’s one of the most pleasurable scenes of team celebration I can remember for a long time.
I’m watching again.
I wanted to write some comments and prolong my excitement and milk it as much as I can
But nothing compares to just watching it again and again and again……and again!
Can’t stop watching it and laughing everytime it hits the back of the net
Was at the game today. Unbelievable. Sit behind the goal North Bank ( where we scored all 3).When Nelson scored, just watching the entire bench from the subs to the kit man storm the pitch was absolutely amazing. The place just went mental!
Who the FK was that little kid? Loool How did he end up on the touchline?
This guy could play for free for the team if it came to that. His pristine love for Arsenal matches that of Jenkinson. He deserves a new contract on the basis of today’s contribution alone. Edu, make it happen.
I just saw James Gunnerblog’s “On the Whistle”. https://youtu.be/e2ycu7hcAcY
I reckon that he was clean-shaven at kick off. (I made that comment there, too).
We will need everyone. Sadly Mikel Arteta said Trossard’s injury is a worry, so glad Reiss has made a difference. In his limited involvement in the league (3 games is it?) he’s made an important contribution in 2 games.
3 goals and two assists in 84 minutes…
I feel like another important thing today was that all our goals were scored by all the “right” people. The feeling that …we’re all in this together,…in the tightest of games goal contributions can come from anywhere, etc. That must be a huge confidence boost to the entire squad.
Nelson’s aim is good.
Bournemouth players encroached the halfway line before kickoff. VAR should have chalked off the 1st goal.
St totteringham day almost confirmed. One season objective achieved. Happy days
Give him a new contract!
All I can say is when things were dark at the club for a while, there was a bright light people talked about in the Academy. It was Reiss Nelson people were talking about. I was always interested in his achievement on the many loans. I want this boy to succeed so much because he represents what is good about Arsenal, loyalty, dedication, hard work and perseverance.
Please give him a contract, he deserves to be a Gunner.
There are video interviews from Feyenoord last season with Reiss he seems to have really matured. Development isn’t always a straight line, he can still make it to the top.
That’s up there with Adam’s volley against everton for sheer delirious exhilaration that leaves you smiling for weeks, with an eternal afterglow of happiness. The readi-brek of volleys!