It’s at all times a great morning after Arsenal have overwhelmed Manchester United, proper?
I’m not going to faux I watched the sport reside — sleep is treasured with a nine-month outdated child within the image — however I’ve caught up with as a lot as attainable this morning. Greater than something, I believe pre-season wins just do set a tone, they create a great temper with them. You’ll be able to write off the defeats however you’ll be able to’t ignore the excitement of beating an outdated rival with some actually promising performances.
The United group appeared barely extra like a primary alternative XI to me however each groups have been simply two, three, perhaps 4 gamers faraway from a facet that would realistically begin a Premier League recreation within the close to future.
Loads of pre-season over-indexing at all times goes on, and understandably. All of us wish to determine as a lot as humanly attainable concerning the group and determine how the brand new season goes to go forward of time. The success fee on predictions made off the again of video games like these is at all times going to be extremely variable! However that doesn’t imply all the things needs to be ignored both.
I believe taking a look at people, you recognize which of them want a great pre-season. If Martin Odegaard or Bukayo Saka wrestle, no one goes to fret about them. If a younger participant and a participant who appeared to be fighting health or confidence final season shines, then perhaps they open a door for themselves.
Enter Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Jesus.
The pair mixed for our equaliser after Rasmus Hojlund however United a objective up and it appears they have been the standout gamers of the primary half, if not the whole evening. Emile Smith Rowe’s impending exit might open a door for Nwaneri in midfield and it feels important that he has lined up by means of the center of the pitch to this point within the US with Fabio Vieira taking part in out vast.
Between his physique, utility, instincts and apparent technical capability, he does appear to be a participant who belongs within the coronary heart of the motion, receiving the ball on the flip, at all times trying ahead.
He made a pleasant run down the fitting early on, taking part in the ball inside and going outdoors down the fitting to obtain it once more (albeit in an offside place) earlier than forcing Andre Onana right into a save.
The help for Jesus’ equaliser confirmed apparent high quality to select the Brazilian out. Usually, Nwaneri’s contact, his readability in his selections, his willpower to get on the ball at each alternative, and general apparent high quality are all actually thrilling and Mikel Arteta recommended there’ll proceed to be alternatives so long as he’s delivering in coaching:
It’s at all times within the fingers of the gamers, so present what you are able to do. Present that ambition, that willpower, that high quality and issues will occur naturally. Tomorrow he’s going to coach with us once more and if he continues to play like that he’s going to play some minutes on Wednesday for certain.
I don’t understand how a lot we’ll see Nwaneri this season — he’s nonetheless simply 17 and doesn’t flip 18 till March subsequent 12 months — however I do suppose he’ll have the chance to combat for minutes and shall be a daily fixture on the bench. That is virtually the precise age Cesc Fabregas broke into the Arsenal group and we shouldn’t neglect what a spectacular anomaly it’s for a participant that younger to play common soccer. Even Saka needed to wait one other 12 months to have an effect at first group stage.
Right here is that Gabriel Jesus objective, by the way in which:
GABRIEL JESUS BRINGS ARSENAL LEVEL AGAINST UNITED
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— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 28, 2024
The Brazilian appeared actually sharp once more and I can’t assist however really feel, so long as he’s on the membership, he might have an enormous function to play this season. We clearly haven’t added a ahead as issues stand and the thought of Jesus absolutely match once more it’s tempting to get carried away with the thought of Jesus being absolutely match once more. His first half season on the membership, earlier than the 2022 World Cup, have been electrical. There was flashes of that Jesus final season, principally within the Champions League, and I’m not fairly prepared but to surrender on that model of the participant being rediscovered.
Totally match and filled with confidence, he’s an unbelievable participant and an extremely well-rounded ahead. The jinking runs have been again final evening — Lenny Yoro prodded the ball away after one, one other turned Harry Maguire inside out and almost left Leandro Trossard with one other — and the objective was extra of the kind of objective he must search for. Jesus missed 16 huge possibilities missed within the Premier League in 2022/23 (the sixth most within the league) however simply seven in 2023/24 (thirty first). Lacking huge possibilities means you’re getting huge possibilities and people tables are led by the likes of Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, Ollie Watkins. And Darwin Nunez. Alexander Isak, Ivan Toney, Nicolas Jackson additionally pop up on them. And the entire above hit double figures within the marketing campaign(s) the place they lead the league on that entrance. Jesus didn’t even get huge possibilities to overlook final season and that’s a way more actual concern. Arteta — or no matter his phrase is price — sounded inspired too:
He seems actually good, he seems actually sharp. He’s modified loads of issues over the summer time and he’s come again in high situation once more. When you may have that baseline, different issues could be constructed however with out that basis we don’t have a participant and he must be in that situation to get the most effective out of him. He’s realised that and I’m actually proud of what he’s proven in the present day once more. You’ll be able to see by the way in which he seems, the way in which he’s transferring and you’ll see in his eyes that there’s a spark there.
Gabriel Martinelli is one other participant who didn’t fairly ship as a lot final season because the season earlier than. He got here on and appeared raring to go, driving fown the left and almost discovering fellow sub Kai Havertz for a header in entrance of objective. Martinelli’s subsequent probability to get in behind was minimize quick by the offside flag.
When he did get one other alternative, he delivered the winner. I actually love a large participant going through as much as their defender, one-on-one, and taking contact after contact after contact in fast succession, simply edging the ball ahead. The defender is left on the again foot guessing which contact would be the decisive one, the one which flicks the ball both outdoors or inside and sees the winger burst within the chosen route. Martinelli went inside and delivered that burst with excellent timing. Then delivered a very good, misleading end into the hole at Onana’s close to submit.
MARTINELLI GIVES ARSENAL THE LATE LEAD OVER UNITED
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— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 28, 2024
Once more, right here’s Arteta on him:
That’s the mentality of the group and people – one coaching session and he is available in and performs at that stage. That signifies that he’s not coming right here to get ready, he’s come ready to point out the place he’s and that’s a really completely different strategy and I beloved it.
One different fascinating soundbite from the supervisor was his clarification for enjoying Ben White at right-back and Jurrien Timber at centre-back slightly than the opposite method spherical, saying it was a matter of “making one change and never two” and never desirous to mess with the “chemistry” on the right-hand facet. Now we now have extra defensive depth, it could be price remembering this and considering in partnerships slightly than people. Total there’s simply extra more likely to be extra rotation than ever going ahead however, given White’s relationship down that flank with Odegaard and Saka, right-back may not be Timber’s greatest wager in his bid for normal soccer.
For the sake of completion, I’ll share United’s objective as effectively. Ayden Heaven has made a mark at centre-back this summer time, 17 is extremely younger to be taking part in towards Premier League strikers in that place, the place a mistake could be expensive, however he impressed towards Dominic Solanke and easily misplaced the larger, sooner participant in Rasmus Hojlund because the Dane gave United the lead.
RASMUS HOJLUND STRIKES FIRST FOR MAN UNITED
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— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 28, 2024
Once more, Arteta was glowing in his reward for the defender and his response.
Very spectacular. At 17, I don’t know what number of gamers are ready to try this on a stage like this. He’s misplaced a duel towards one of many strongest and quickest gamers on the earth, it might probably occur, however the response afterwards, the composure, the standard, the physique language that he had have been all outstanding. I’m actually proud of him.
I’m undecided we’ll see a lot, if something, of the defender this season, given the depth on the again now, however I don’t suppose Arteta’s option to preserve beginning a 17-year-old on the again in these video games needs to be missed and he’s probably being earmarked as a participant with the power to interrupt into the facet.
That appears like a subject for an additional day, probably a few years from now.
That’s me for the day. It’s beautiful to get up to an Arsenal win and I hope that units the tone for everybody’s Sundays. Andrew A and Tim shall be on obligation to get you thru the following few days and I’m trying ahead to studying another person’s ideas on these pages once more. Till later within the week!
