Mikel Arteta was full of praise for attacking trio Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah as they each found the back of the net for a second successive match.
After downing West Ham on Boxing Day with a stunning second half salvo, they picked up where they left off on New Year’s Eve with Saka breaking the deadlock against Brighton before the others got in on the act after the break.
They were ably assisted by captain Martin Odegaard who bounced home an effort of his own and later produced a stunning through ball that allowed Martinelli to put the game just out of reach of the Seagulls.
“He is doing what we want him to do – to decide football matches and work really hard and deliver to the team what he needs in these moments which is different,” said Arteta of Odegaard’s impact.
“The four front players scored again; that is great news. Eddie scoring again, Bukayo, Martinelli and in crucial moments as well.
“That’s what we want, those players deciding football matches when the team needs it and that’s what they’re doing.”
While the Gunners looked comfortable for the first hour, Brighton made things very difficult in the closing stages and didn’t give up hope even with the scoreline at 3-0 and then 4-1 to Arteta’s men.
Indeed, were it not for a favourable VAR call, stoppage time could have been very nervy for the Gunners who had to dig in to secure the three points.
“I’ve seen it all in this league! I’ve been in this country for 20 years, so I’ve seen it. I can expect that the momentum shifts very quickly and it’s really difficult to stop it,” said Arteta.
“Obviously, the goal got disallowed and we had much more room to win the game. You have to be prepared for that. You don’t come to this place with this team and get a comfortable win. It doesn’t happen.”
Arteta spent much of the closing stages trying to calm down his players, urging them to keep their heads as the atmosphere at the Amex Stadium grew to a crescendo.
“It’s understanding what the team needs in every moment. It was an emotional stage of the game there. They’re understanding that better and better and they are free-flowing at the moment. You can see that there is good understanding, there is good timing between them and they’re scoring goals, which is really important to the team.”
Gone are the days of Unai Emery’s “Calm! CALM! Calm?” coaching.
Great performance again from our front line. But they badly need quality backup or I fear we won’t be able to sustain this good form. Yesterday we had Vieira and Marquinhos on the bench and had to play the front three for the full 90 minutes. Our bench is simply not deep enough for a title challenge.
Smith Rowe fit and Mudryk in very soon, then Jesus back by March seems to be the plan. It’s not a bad plan if it all works out.
Is it a bad plan if it doesn’t all work out?
Every good plan has multiple options. Having just one plan is not a good plan.
That’s not how planning works (unless you have a crystal ball, in which case, what should I do with some AMD stock I have been holding?). Plans fail all the time (whether laid by men or mice), so I always try to trace the logic. You say the bench is weak. Sure. Would Mudryk help? Based on everything I’ve been hearing, it’s likely he would help shore up wing depth. So that’s ONE plan. When is Reiss Nelson coming back from injury? Does it matter? I’m less convinced (but hopeful) that he would help, so less of a plan…and so… Read more »
Yup if mudryk is in.,can he play right though cos thats what we’re,missing
I think adding a winger is the most sensible course of action – then we consider Martinelli our back up / 3rd striker. There are some calls to bring in another striker – but then what happens when Jesus and Nketiah are both fit? Do we just sign someone to sit on the bench when one of those two is injured and not even make the bench when they are fit? If we have CL football instead of Europa, so we’re playing our first eleven with more limited rotation than in a europa campaign, what role would that new striker… Read more »
I know we are a wonderful team when I’m disappointed with conceding two goals but scoring 4. The potential in this team is absolutely fecking frightening. Lots outside are now starting to see it. If we played city at home this week we would be favourites in my book. Only match I got to last year was at home to them and we were by a country Mike the better team though lost in injury time. I wasn’t gutted after that game as I knew we were going places. Exciting times have returned, be excited, be very excited.
By a country Mikel?
Don’t you remember the famous poem by Robert Frost?
The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and Mikels to go before I sleep
😂
Guess we still on track for this, wouldn’t you agree?
https://arseblog.news/2021/12/report-arsenal-5-1-sunderland-inc-goals/#comment-1383243
Any chance of telling me the winner of the grand national 2023..? Just whisper it.. 🐴
First off…
How’d you remember the post you commented on, let alone find it?
Yeah… you were right.
You are a genius and you read the game well. You made the statement with lots of confidence without anyone’s opinion. Thank you bro!
was Odegaard’s goal celebration a 3 point shot to signify taking all 3 points?
I have some concerns about the mechanics of his release.
Needs more lift in the legs.
Great feeling for spuds/manure/Chelski results to feel genuinely irrelevant
We need an extra midfielder. Gulf between Elneny and Partey was there for everyone to see.
Looking at the table, with spurs now losing 2 nil. I’ve realised, instead of all this talk of city catching us, shouldn’t the talk be of city being in a top 4 fight with the others below us
Pep said as much the other day. He was asked about Arsenal and he said that because we are playing so well and because there are only four CL spots, one of the other teams is going to fall out and there’s no reason it can’t be City if they don’t play well.
The top 3 will be Arsenal, Man City, and Liverpool. Just don’t know which order.
It’ll be interesting to see what the plans are for Balogun next season. Now joint 3rd top scorer in the league behind Mbappe and Neymar (level with lacazette). 10 goals in 13 starts, and for a far less productive team than PSG or Lyon (Reims has a goal difference of -3 compared to PSG of +35, and before Balogun’s brace last week he was already the scorer of the highest ratio of goals for their team versus total team goals in the league)
I hope he continues to develop and takes a spot at Arsenal, but I think half a season in the French league is too soon to judge if he is up to the level we are now reaching.
Balogun will be back & firing up for us next year, I’m convinced he has a higher seiling than Eddie and will demonstrate that on the pitch
I’d love to see how we does at a larger French club or in another league, so maybe another loan next year? It’s similar to the Saliba case. He needs games to develop, and I just don’t see him getting many minutes in this team. Who are you going to take out so he can play consistently and continue to improve?
Yes, a loan next season will do him good. It makes no sense for him to come back and be third or even second choice
I get where both of you are coming from but how about he replaces Nketiah as 2nd choice behind Jesus? Perhaps Nketiah doesn’t like that and after a title winning season Nketiah goes for good money elsewhere?
I don’t see the point of him playing a whole season to come back and play 10 mins here, a league cup game there, and maybe cover a Jesus injury. Best to bring him back when he’s good enough to challenge Jesus, or if he’s just that good, he could be our OGS coming off the bench
I think Eddie cupped his ears the other day in a mixed emotional celebration for things like this. 7 goals in 9 league starts. 2 in 2 in the league and fans want him sold immediately simply because a kid who has started out well on loan is scoring some reasonable amounts
I see your point as well but if Jesus is fit he won’t get any minutes. Just look at this season. How much did Nketiah play before the Jesus injury?
Yes. This time around, a loan to a PL team to get him ready for the league in 2024/25 season
I’ve seen on the bbc gossip column this evening that he is being linked with AC Milan (permanent by the sound of it) – that would be a shame, but I suppose on the positive side he’s obviously making an impression at Reims
The dirty Spuds starting the new year as they mean to carry on – two nil home defeat to Villa.
I sincerely hope we show those delusional wannabes no mercy and absolutely destroy them.
COYG
That’s was an awesome massive win!