Arsenal enjoyed another fun away day, battering Sheffield United 6-0 at Bramall Lane this evening.
The Gunners were 5-0 up at the break, the goals coming from Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and a Jayden Bogle own goal β before Ben White’s left footed rocket made it 6-0 in the second.
At that point we made changes and took our foot off the gas, but it’s another three points and another big boost to the goal difference.
Here’s how the players rated this evening.
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Read the Sheffield United 0-6 Arsenal match report and see the goals hereΒ
Whole team was 10/10
10/10 in the first half. Took the foot off the gas in the second half and didnβt bother getting out of 3rd gear. And even then Sheffield Utd could not get near us. Had we continued the intensity of the first half, we would probably have scored 10. What a team.
We should have pressed on, they were there for the taking.
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted – to win this thing, we need to show complete killer instinct. At half-time, I woulda settled for 8-0 and was really hoping we wouldn’t amble through the second half.
We did. I do though feel the substitutes disrupted the rhythm a lot… Thomas and Jesus looked pretty rusty. Fabio fine but also needs the minutes.
But hey, we’ll take 6-0 won’t we?!
I didn’t downvote him, but could it be that we could use the energy potentially spent to completely dismantle them in another game … like Porto maybe?
I think we took them mate
“They were there for the taking” π€£ no shit…..
At this rate we will be playing in empty stadiums!
Half empty π
As much as I feel sorry for Sheffield United, we absolutely destroyed them today! Complete domination!
The extraordinary is becoming commonplace. As the esteemed Orbinho points out, we are the first time in league history to win three consecutive away games 5-0 or better. So many stellar performances: Odegaard (never seen such a combination of workrate and skill in one player), Haveertz, Saka, Declan… the list goes on and on.
Our search for a striker is over, I guess :π
That’s exactly it with MΓ. I see people compare him to MΓ, but his work rate and commitment make him a complete player.
He’s so so much more than Ozil , he’s all midfield dynamo with swave and elegance , hard to compare him to anyone bar debryune
Ozil was just technically a marvel, odegaard still has some way to get to his level of grace but that engine is insane and makes up for that particular shortfall, if he can add even more technical ability he’ll be flipping crazy
I can’t agree. Martin is easily Ozil’s equal technically and, as pointed out, his work rate is an order of magnitude better than Mesut’s.
I haven’t seen that relentless energy from Debruyne
Unfortunately De Bruyne doesnt need to run when he can put the ball on a 5p coin from 60m away.
Who?
You think Ozil didn’t have elegance and grace? KDB is an efficient machine but elegant he’s not.. DB10, Zidane, Iniesta, those are the guys you associate with elegance..
It’s a football pitch not a catwalk
if you like working football just watch bundesligaβ¦
Ozil was something else, we just had dross around him generally. But Martin brilliant in a different way. More of Bernardo then ozil
A diagonal slash is clearly significantly better than two little dots.
There is a reason Odegaard has been a captain at young age in his national team and Arsenal. His work rate and body language are inspirational and ‘contagious’ (a word that MA used a few times in his recent interview). He is a person you pick to fight with you.
A viking chief with intelligence!
I’ll take a 1-0 win in next away game!
I guess the Harvetz bussines isn’t that bad anymore. Ha.
Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh….
I am here again to eat my weekly serving of crow regarding Havertz. Sauteed and seasoned it tastes like chicken… Happy to be wrong about him, Kai has been very very good in 2024.
Magpie surely?
I agree 100% and am loving this generous helping of humble pie
Feels like time since Chelsea fans were thanking / mocking us for taking him off their hands. On a personal level Iβm pleased that he has made so many people look silly in such a short time – and that includes sections of our own fanbase (as well as the entirety of Chelseaβs βbaseβ if you can even call it that)
Anyone notice how well the curious giraffe manages to hold up the ball and fight off frantic defenders?
And to cap the obvious strength in possession, he played some simply exceptional lay-off balls last night.
I was not a Havertz fan. I actively spoke very negatively about him. I was wrong. He is a player.
Iβm not convinced yet. Do it against stronger opponents then Iβll reconsider. He played well tonight though.
Caution is probably justified (we don’t want another flat track bully etc)
Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham not strong enough opponents?
We need a 9
And we had time after White’s goal for three more.
Think he means a striker. π
I thought I was being clever.
With a good number 9, The score will be 9.
Yeah, we do.
Six nil will suffice every week thankyou
Most goals scored and least goals conceded. Keep it up and we might just win the thing.
Without an out-and-out striker.
Partey was rusty, but you could see a little of the magic there. He didn’t get to use his superpower–receiving the ball under pressure on the half-turn from the keeper or the centre halves, and either immediately picking a progressive pass or striding away from his markers. You can demonstrate this skill only if the opponents are putting you under pressure.
I know heβs not played for a long time but against a better (or even average) team heβd have cost the team goals. He gave the ball away 3 times which led to a S U attack & goal scoring opportunity. Iβm not sure we can afford him the luxury of gaining match sharpness in the run in.
Well, I think that’s the beauty of leading by 5 at the half.
One of those was a shit pass by Cedric…But i agree. You could see the rust actually falling from his body but he got into the rhythm the longer he played, which is what getting back to fitness is.
We showed plenty patience for Havertz to finally ‘click’ so Partey deserves the same largesse after such a long lay off.
Partey was rusty, Jesus was rusty, but neither was rusty as Trusty.
Expect Def Jam to sign you! π
I hope Arteta will try playing both Partey and Rice in midfield.
IWith Rice patrolling the top end of the pitch and Partey (a fit one) at DM. Im very confident of our chances going forward. But it depends on how quickly Partey can get up to speed.
Even before his injury, Partey was not too good without the ball. During the last months, the movement without the ball has improved greatly.
Haha
I loved the no-look pass from Kiwior to Martinelli leading up to the goal. Good stuff.
Ya me too and shows how his confidence is brimming , see the pace of him for a big guy too
Apparently (in training) he holds the record for the fastest sprint and highest jump of any arsenal player past or present. Faster than Henri, Walcott and Belerin- quite something really.
You mean Kiwior or Martinelli?
Kiwior
There was a moment where he was racing back with a Sheffield player close and he absolutely left him behind. Until then I had not realized how fast he is.
Confidence and a run in the team does wonders. He didn’t look great on the ball 4 or 5 games ago now he’s just another seamless cog.
Love how he’s progressing. Now to improve those free, all-by-myself headers/shoulders π Amazing to get into those positions though!
Raya should get 0.5 more for saving one on one even if it’s offside.
Rayas sweeping is so good, see the confidence we had playing our CBs as essentially two more no.8s
This team is going places and so long as we don’t trip.ourself up.with slow starts like last season, were going places .
Think this is a different beast of a team and leaders throughout with super bench
I canβt remember seeing a better first half display of relentless one touch attacking football by any team. Jaw droppingly good.
There was a moment – lasting about 10-15 seconds – where they just triangled the ball relentlessly around the snapping teeth of the opposition midfield and I almost felt sorry for Sheffield.
I soon got over it, though.
Yeah but Ramsdale
It’s been a fun January – this is the best I’ve seen Arsenal play since I started supporting circa 2006/7. We are such a good team. Whatever happens at the end of the season, I am enjoying myself immensely.
Not to be negative, but I think Kiwior was pretty sloppy at times today, which is not unusual for him. He’s definitely our least secure player in possession, which gives us food for thought when Zinny comes back, although he’s been very solid defensively and has chipped in with assists.
I think you have misunderstood the meaning of βnotβ
Crazy to think that Kiwior is literally our 4th choice at right-back. Timber is first, Zinny second, Tomiyasu third.
Kiwior is supposed to be a substitute for Gabriel. This team is so resourceful.
Kiwior must be pretty close to 2nd choice now. Ziiiinch is appropriate for certain opposition set-ups, but I for one am really enjoying having a relaxed sphincter when the opposition tries to break down our left.
Although Zinchenko is the better footballer, Kiwior is the better defender.
Don’t think we’ve seen nearly enough of Kiwior to be able to make that sort of comparison?
Time will tell.
Most of us have seen enough of Zinchenko as a defender to last a lifetime
Timber is 1st choice after just two competitive appearances neither of which lasted 90 minutes?
without any doubt!!!
Also, it’s March– January ended over a month ago.
I’ve been a Gooner for 52 years now so I feel justified in saying the following:
“Back in yer box, sonny – it’s early days.”
Bukayo felt sick and Gabby’s injury was a cut. We’ll take that. Great performance
10/10 to the whole team and a bonus 10 to Odegaard for toying with Carragher.
Love it!
My wife, at minute 5 when Arsenal goes up 1-0:
“I’m tired. I’d like to take a nap.”
Me, at minute 13, when Arsenal goes up 2-0:
“You can consider that nap now.”
Wife: “Nah. I won’t relax until they go 4-nil up.”
Me, 12 minutes later: “Go to sleep.”
My wife at 70 mins: “No more goals from Arsenal? Havent heard you screaming YESS at the TV in a ages.”
Who starts when Jesus is fully fit. Him or Havertz,
Hard to say but it’s very hard to argue against Havertz starting. In overall it’s very good we have two different options available
Never thought I would say this but based on recent form, Kai is undroppable.
Ditto. Never thought he was capable of two excellent performances like this in a row. Long may he continue to prove the doubters like me wrong
Havertz.
Vlahovic. Bring him in… can’t hurt.
Waste of money and we’d have to change the entire playing style to suit him.
Havertz in that false 9 is just so difficult to defend against. Think it was a goal against Liverpool (?) where he drew the CB out to create spaces behind that ultimately led to a goal. I think for this trait specifically, you start Havertz.
Jesus becomes a rotation option for any of the 3 attacking players, depending on the game state.
Imagine taking Martinelli or Saka off at 60mins and bring Jesus on. Would be absolutely relentless for the opposition.
The winter break was a big factor in our amazing recent run of form. Equally as important to our success, has been the absence of Jesus, the team is much better with Havertz playing instead.
This is blindingly obvious.
I have no idea what the defender on saka was doing. He was showing him the touch line from 18 out. Felt bad for him.
I was on the court with a couple former nba players a few times at lunch ball. It was simply unfair. You couldnβt guard them and you didnβt want to even try because you were so lost if you did something they might get hurt. That is what I saw with saka todayβ¦Mr saka please donβt make me look too bad and I wonβt kick you bloody.
It’s getting tiring now, need to use two hands to show the score when friends ask me.
11/10 – emptying stadiums everywhere we go, everywhere we go…
at 16mins must be some kinda record.
The blades in my razors last longer
Win. Rinse. Repeat.
MO and DR have secured the midfield. I think Patey will struggle to dislodge Havertz something at the begging of the season I never thought Iβd say. Smith Rowe should have had a run out over Viera in my book, but we are looking good. Porto won will give great confidence going into the international break.