First half goals from Gabriel Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri, and a second half header from Kai Havertz, were sufficient for Arsenal to beat Preston in the Carabao Cup 4th round at Deepdale this evening.
The Gunners were mostly untroubled by the home side, and deserved winners on the night, while also handing full debuts to Tommy Setford and Ayden Heaven.
Here’s how the players rated this evening.
Read the Preston 0-3 Arsenal match report and see the goals here
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Marvellous
Oh Nwaneri is a gem. First touch, trickery, decision making, eye for goal and pressing clearly learning from the press master Odegaard. I want to see more of the boy. Super talent.
Just the weight on every single one of his passes is mesmerising, they’re all absolutely perfect and invariably to the foot that the receiving player wants it on. Poetry.
What a header from Kai
Who is this guy with a thumb down?
A reminder that Saturday is the fixture anniversary of Kai showing how much he has with a wicked tackle against Newcastle. At that moment I knew we had a player.
6.5 for Sterling is brutal, Blogs. 😬
He was a candidate for MOTM for me. Electric going forward and desperately unlucky not to score a couple.
It seems like if he got a run of games he’d do a pretty decent job for us – but he won’t really get it – and that is the trickiest part of being very good team. Look at Trossard – he’s not really happy with the role coming off the bench but that’s when he’s arguably most impactful. Players in this role are really hard to keep happy, engaged, give enough minutes, etc. – but without them sharp and hungry we’ll probably not win much. Some folks doubt the manager but it’s an impossible formula innit.
Sterling looks twice the player when he is playing on the left…as he likes to come inside and cut thru the middle ….on the right he is limited …
You gotta say that Trosser at 20m and Sterling on a free are arguably the best business we’ve done in a while.
Eh? Sterling is on loan and has done nothing for us so far.
Setford made a pretty great save late in the game to keep the clean sheet, let’s not let that go unnoticed. That’s what you want a keeper at Arsenal to show – that he can keep his concentration for a full match despite not being asked to do much. And Kiwi is just a very good football player, especially when he plays his natural position at centre back, his weaknesses don’t get nearly as exposed there. Hope we manage to keep him as he’s exactly the sort of player we need to give us depth in defence and allow us… Read more »
I love Kiwior, great player. Underrated.
Yes, he made the one mistake with the undercooked backpass in the match against Bournemouth, but everyone makes mistakes (Saliba red card). He’s a good and versatile second string defender and we should hang on to him if he’s willing to stay that.
Well, I hope he’s not willing to stay second string. Competitiveness would lose all its meaning. Big Gabi and Calafiori need to know there’s a very good left-footed central defender who can put them on the bench so they can perform at their very best.
I’ve always said I think he has the talent to compete with Big Gabby long term. Which is why it surprised me somewhat when we bought Calafiori who seemingly is also more suited for that position than left back? Still not sure with him.
I’m from Poland, Kiwior could be translated as Dribble to English 🤠
I’m from India, Kiwior could be translated to that handsome Polish player who scores great goals and plays pretty decent as a CB!
As a CB and flat LB or LCB Kiwi is the finest, with KT back hopefully he can fill the LB backup option if required but keep Kiwior for cb
Setford’s head is fucking massive. We may never concede again with that giganto-noggin between the sticks.
It’s like an orange on a toothpick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqycJpRdVaY
Not to put a downer on it but he didn’t exude confidence under high ball, tidy with ball at feet for sure but no Stuart Taylor
My head must look like a golf ball when I am next to him
Blogs old chap disappointed in your rating of Raheem, he was miles better than that
Jorginho 7?? That first half performance of his was an exhibition on how to play that role. Bloody flawless also. 8 minimum. And in contention for MOTM.
Hear, Hear!! A generals performance!
He beat someone for pace when tracking back! Had an excellent game.
Yes, we are a level above, but the really funny one (as Blogs implies) was Saliba. I almost laughed every time the play went near him because, inevitably, he won the ball, turned, and decided what to do next, all very quickly. I don’t watch enough matches from other countries to be sure, but from what I have seen, he is the best defender in the world.
Nwaneri looked just like Saka on that goal, so many similarities in their games. Was horrified to see Saka come into a 3-0 game on the road in damp weather after he had been out with a hamstring injury. No reason at all to play him, you could have thrown on anyone else and it wouldn’t have made a difference in the score. Such a risk to our most important player. Jesus to me is so much more impactful when he plays than Sterling, can do so many more things to help the team. I hope when it comes down… Read more »
saka needed a run out. The time plus Saturday last means he has played a full game since returning. Never got out of 2nd gear
Jesus still class player – his touches and turns and instantly facing up the defense pushes them straight back.
That Setford picture Bloggs, he surely can’t be that young
The decision to play Saka seems so obviously bad that I assume the medical department actively recommended he got game time. I know there were hints before that regular game time, especially in a relaxed second half are seen as a positive.
You ‘assume’… Mikel actually speaks with them.
And there’s the rub.
Trusting Arteta to manage genius the same way he gently coaxed the (very!) precocious young Saliba into the first XI… however, one cannot but wonder what a difference Ethan might have made vs the Scouse!
What a lovely night out. And while we all have our concerns about keeping people match fit, with lots of names coming up in that discussion, in walks Jorginho “out of nowhere” and just delivers a brilliant performance, defensively and offensively. I’m (still) so happy we have him. I know it was “just” Preston, but he just gives me such a composed and secure vibe. Great to see him take care of the youngsters, go on a huge defensive run, and so on. While Nwaneri absolutely deserves all the praise he’s getting, I was just as thrilled to see Jorginho… Read more »