A year ago, Arsenal opened the Premier League up with a 2-0 loss to Brentford which unquestionably made me want to end everything. Today, the boys opened the Premier League again and showed out. We fought through a tough Crystal Palace team to nab the 2-0 win and help maintain my sanity to start the season. There was a positive aura around the Arsenal squad heading into the season with an undefeated preseason record as well as the smooth transition with all of our signings, none more-so than my Brazilian hero Gabriel Jesus. I wasn’t feeling great going into the match as the last time we went to Selhurst Park, we were emasculated and I haven’t recovered.
PREMATCH: Arteta selected starting XI he selected against Sevilla and Chelsea (Ramsdale – Ben White – Saliba – Gabriel – Zinchenko – Thomas – Xhaka – Ødegaard – Saka – Martinelli – Saka). Tierney made it back into the squad but looks like he is in the outside looking in with the arrival of Zinchenko.
THOUGHTS: Arsenal came off the blocks hot with Martinelli and Gabi Jesus leading the charge. Palace looked a bit rusty and hesitant to start the match and we used that to our advantage. Every time we got the ball in the first 30 minutes, the Xhaka-Zinchenko left-sided partnership was running Palace with Zinchenko pinching into the midfield and Xhaka pushing up. Palace were not able to cope with the left-sided overload. Gabi Jesus also had himself a first-half, almost winning goal of the season by dribbling the Palace team before having his shot blocked and Martinelli scuffing the rebound.
I’ll give credit to the damn set-piece coach that everyone at Arsenal keeps going on and on about. The guy reminds me of a teacher’s pet and every chance he gets, he sits himself right next to Arteta to get the air-time he craves. I joke, but he planned a great corner kick for our season’s opening goal.
The second half was when Palace woke up a bit and started pushing towards the equalizer. You have clown pundits (Stevie Nicol) who said Arsenal resorted back to their old ways as Palace grew into the game but they also don’t know what the hell they are talking about. Any team in England (outside of Liverpool and City) would have succumbed to the pressure Palace was pushing if you take into account it was the first game of the season, a raucous Selhurst Park, and the Pace/power Palace possesses. Even though Palace grew into the game and forced Ramsdale to make some saves, I thought Arsenal handled the pressure well and actually impressed me defending the lead and the match. Ben White stood tall to a dangerous Zaha. Saliba was perfect. Thomas-Xhaka held up relatively well. I wish Arteta went to the subs earlier but it looks like he doesn’t trust the bench at the moment. All in all, it is 3 points and we fucking move. Leicester next.
MOTM: WILLIAM SALIBA: My favorite Frenchman at the moment. Is he the greatest of all time? Maybe. Just an immense performance by Wilo. I already love him. He already in my biased eyes, is one of the best center-backs in the country and damn well played like it today. Didn’t put a foot wrong all game, made tackles when he was supposed, made all the right passes, won all his duels, just a splendid performance from a 21-year old. I won’t ever admit that Mikel was right to send him off to Marseille last season on loan but there is a very good chance he wasn’t wrong in doing so. Credit to me for admitting that. Just unreal that we have this guy playing for us, I love him so much.
PLAYER RATINGS:
Ramsdale: 8 – Came up with a save on Eze that saved the match. I said he needed to not play like an asshole this season, he achieved that tonight.
Ben White: 7 – Gets an extra point for holding off Zaha as best as he could. He had some iffy moments but can’t really ask more from him.
Saliba: 9.5 – He’s perfect
Gabriel: 7 – As good as we needed him to be
Zinchenko: 7 – Provided the assist to the Martinelli goal and started our attacks in the first half with Xhaka, got tired and was beaten easily a couple of times in the second half.
Partey: 7 – Not sure how he played with everything going on but he did it superbly
Xhaka: 7 -Part of the Xhaka-Zinchenko duo that caused havoc down the left flank
Saka: 5- Got in dangerous positions but was disappointing in the end.
Ødegaard: 5 – Never got going, never felt like he wanted the ball.
Martinelli: 8 – Got a goal and worked his ass off all game for the lads
Gabi Jesus: 8 – Started the game magnificently. Waned a bit towards the end as we got tired as a team and Palace started pushing.
3 POINTS AND WE FUCKING MOVE
Featured image credits: Getty
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