Arsene Wenger was pleased to see his Arsenal side secure their first win of 2018 as goals from Nacho Monreal, Alex Iwobi, Laurent Koscielny and Alex Lacazette helped them overcome Crystal Palace 4-1.
The Gunners scored all of their goals inside the first 22 minutes before easing off the gas in the second half. While the visitors were much improved after the break, it never looked likely that they’d mount a comeback.
Having struggled for form in recent weeks, the boss drew attention to the focus showed and the slick football his players demonstrated as they bounced back from last Sunday’s defeat at Bournemouth.
“I think we started well,” he told his post-game press conference. “We played well and played the kind of football we want to play and we know we can play when everybody is focused and in a good shape.
“Overall, we had a very convincing first half. The second half was of good quality and it’s always a bit human that you have not exactly the same drive in the second half. It was a convincing win.”
He added: “Crystal Palace responded well in the second half. They gave us less room, they were aggressive and we had a bit less legs, a little bit less movement and we were less creative.”
More of this in the future please! If Arsenal can really add both Micky and PEA to this squad, we will more often ‘stun’ opponents in the first minutes of a game. Looking forward to Wengerball with a lot of energy.
Until the end of this season
Do you refer to the possibility of Ozil or Wenger leaving? I am quite optimistic about Ozil and think he will extend. Wenger is likely to serve his contract out. Hopefully, we can turn our form around for an extended period.
Sorry if this gets me thumbs down but I certainly want Wenger gone at end if summer. A legend for what he has done but time for something new please
We won so you can’t look at the bigger picture. Papering over the cracks
What exactly is a bigger picture than: 1) winning a football game (for Arsenal FC and its fans) 2) getting a quality (and somewhat underrated) replacement for a disgruntled and hopefully, only a formerly great player who was having a piss poor season by his own high standards AND could have left on a free in the Summer AND AND 3) the likely signing (albeit somewhat late IMO) of another top quality striker (and maaybe a highly rated WF for the future)??! PS: One of you grammar Nazis please tell me if whatever I’d typed above is grammatically correct. If… Read more »
“Mickey and PEA”! Oaahahahahahaha! Well done my man. ?
that’s true. i believe if we add PEA + Micky our play would be much smoother, more teamwork, more forward creative passing and movement… more #ArsenalWay
Lot more of this please. Not two times a season!
Time to start climbing the table. Would love nothing better than to see this group with Miki and PEA tear it up for the rest of the season.
Kinda football we all wanna see, not in flashes though. It was a relief to see the team bin that horrible side to side going nowhere stuff in the first half and attack with real pace and purpose.
Dose of reality guys. Palace are gash, let us see this on Wednesday against the chavs
But as typical on here we win one game against mediocre opposition and everything is good in the world and aw is a genius again
“Palace are gash”
Better than your punctuation.
They are gash, yet they beat defending champions, Chelsea; should have beaten league leaders, City and have not lost in last 8 away games.
I have no idea why people have downvoted you Goonereris. Those were just facts
Fans: It was the kind of football we want to see.
More of this please??
doubt Arsenal can finish 4th considering the points gap and the
yawning gd.That leaves winning the europ a cup which is by no means.
There are many top clubs left and they will know the gunners style: plenty of possession and passes all over the pitch. The speed of the attack aint there and a quick breakout will see the gunners concede a goal.
It has happened and will happen again.The fm shd go at the end of the season.
4231 seems to work better for us when we don’t gift possession away.
Very very happy with the win but the way they started I was hoping for a 6/7-0 win?. Disappointed with that….but it’s really trivial. More of this please! Spoil us you gunners!
I think it’s he biggest difference that I noticed today was Bellerin attacking with the ball much more.
well why don’t you then
I like this formation, flat 3 in the midfield to support the defensive line, goes to show playing with this formation creates more creative plays compared to 523.
I didn’t get to see the game. I can’t figure out the formation. I know they used back 4 but What was the formation? Was it a diamond MF?
pretty sure it was a 4-3-3, but when defending, the midfield tends to stay flat in order to make them go wide. Ozil tends to cut in to be the no.10 at times.
It is the kind of football we want to play. First half was scintillating, we were back to our swash buckling best. BUT second half they got their act together and we dropped our energy levels and we were back to less convincing stuff. So perspective, we need to also consider when they pressed us higher, we struggled. Wenger looks like he is preparing for a front two to add weight up top and have more strength in finishing. It seems supported by a midfield diamond with Ozil at apex but given free role. In many instances Ozil was high… Read more »
Start your own blog mate.