Sun 11 Apr 2021 19:18 BST
First published on Sunday, April 11, 2021, 6:00 p.m. CET
7:17 p.m. BST 7:17 p.m.
7:17 p.m. BST 7:17 p.m.
14 min Pepe does well to find Saka, who moves it far to Martinelli. He’s feeding Ceballos outside of him, but Blades would do really well to bombard a phalanx of defenders capable of blocking his cross behind them.
7:14 p.m. BST 7:14 p.m.
12 min This game has a real summer feeling. We can’t see the four shadows on each player, so the lights may not be on … no, the director is cutting too far and they are. Nevertheless, winter is no longer coming.
7:13 p.m. BST 7:13 p.m.
10 min First piece of Blades, a loose touch from Saka that was grabbed by Lundstram, who slides a decent ball into McGoldrick. But he can’t quite customize his body shape the way he’d like by just drilling a low shot far.
7:12 p.m. BST 7:12 p.m.
9 min I love Saka in midfield because it gives him so much freedom. I’m not sure if he can still play for this Arsenal team there because they have options in that position and they can’t do without what he offers with less defensive responsibilities. But he needs to be involved as often as possible, not just when the ball is on one side.
7:10 p.m. BST 7:10 p.m.
8 min Better feet from Pepe, who this time finds Saka in the lower right corner. He feeds a low flank towards the rear post looking for Lacazette, but Egan is on hand to clear.
7:09 p.m. BST 7:09 p.m.
6 min Eesh! Stevens, trapped everywhere, swings a boot on a long canal ball of Holding like an elephant fairy and Pepe grabs it, but he then leaves it tucked under his feet and the chance that it was, evaporates.
7:07 p.m. BST 7:07 p.m.
4 min Arsenal has made a big start here; I know they are fashionable to laugh at like any football club is, but their top level is actually a pretty decent level. The problem they have is how to improve it, but more specifically how to increase their bottom level without the money to seriously overtake the roster.
7:05 p.m. BST 7:05 p.m.
2 min Awarded by Arsenal. Martinelli received the ball on the edge of the center circle and drifted to the right. Then he pushed a beautifully camouflaged pass to the left to Saka. However, the angle is against him and he shoots a shot over the crossbar.
7:03 p.m. BST 7:03 p.m.
1 min Aha! Xhaka is left-back? « ???? should be left in the locker room » ???? Hollers yer da â ???? with Saka in midfield.
7:02 p.m. BST19: 02
7:02 p.m. BST19: 02
6:59 p.m. BST 6:59 p.m.
6:58 p.m. BST 6:58 p.m.
6:56 p.m. BST 6:56 p.m.
6:53 p.m. BST 6:53 p.m.
« Great end to the season I think (cross your fingers) » says Bill Hargreaves. « It seems there is still a lot to play for so many teams. »
Hopefully. I think the top 2 and relegation were pretty even today, but the cups and top 4 should be fun.
6:50 p.m. BST 6:50 p.m.
I suppose what happened to Blades shouldn’t be shocking. I don’t subscribe to the theory that a team can perform above or below average – how they perform is who they are. But in hindsight, sticking to the standards they set last season, now that the teams know what they’re up to, given their small squad and punishment plan, was a big question. How few points they have is more surprising. hey didn’t play that bad at the beginning of the season but still lost every week? This is always a danger if you don’t have a reliable goal scorer.
6.46 p.m. BST 6:46 p.m.
Paul Heckingbottom says he wants his players to play on their forefoot and expects a new Arsenal team given the changes they have made. He then says he doesn’t make too much of a fuss about what they’re doing and is worried about how his team is doing.
6.43 p.m. BST6.43 p.m.
Of course, Sheffield United against Arsenal means that we have to indulge ourselves with this masterpiece by Dennis Bergkamp.
Maybe I’m overly suspicious, but I always thought when Arsene Wenger offered to revisit the original draw he was sure that this would never happen. But of course he was calculating without the famous British sense of fair play which some people still believe actually exists.
6:38 p.m. BST 6:38 p.m.
« Mathematically anything is possible » says Arteta of his team’s league prospect when my BT finally decides to start work, but he won’t. reveal if Saka is playing left-back. If he’s not, then I don’t see who is.
6:35 p.m. BST 6:35 p.m.
« I long to see David Luiz’s name on the lineup. » Chris Hills confesses, « and then realizes how bad this is for our defense. »
Yes, I can see that. Blades has scored 17 goals in 30 league games, seven fewer than the next worst. So in theory, Arsenal should be fine. But you could also see that as a challenge.
6:31 p.m. BST 6:31 p.m.
United beat Spurs 3-1, Greenwood scored the win in added time. They are certainly cemented in second place now, but the argument behind them is warming up nicely.
6.30 p.m. BST 6.30 p.m.
Back to Martinelli, I know he came back from a nasty injury but I thought we saw more of him this season. He’s playing today mainly because Aubameyang is sick. I don’t think I expected Pepe’s improvement or Saka’s move to the wing. I thought he would stay in midfield. but still he could be the future and Lacazette, who played a lot, is absolutely not.
6:24 p.m. BST 6:24 p.m.
Email! « At other times, at better times, » laments a wistful Charles Antaki: « The Arsenal fan would have the right to believe that it is in the nature of the hammer, nut and crack to put so many of the first teams against the lowest of the world lowest to play. » After all, the Europa League is coming up. But these are not other times, and certainly not better times. “????
It is difficult because victories bring racial gains and if they don’t they won’t be sent to Prague with the cheerful vibes they will need. But an injury to Saka or Partey would be quite a significant worsening.
6:19 p.m. BST 6:19 p.m.
Manchester United have come from behind to lead Spurs 2-1 but Spurs are working hard to level. Join Rob Smyth to see how it turns out.
6:18 p.m. BST 6:18 p.m.
It is really ridiculous how good Bukayo Saka is and in so many positions. Although I’d rather see him play further up front, I look forward to seeing him and Martinelli in the Arsenal in the lower left. I would be concerned about the potential for overload if I were the one playing right center-back and right full-back for Blades.
6:16 p.m. BST 6:16 p.m.
Meanwhile, Arsenal is resting Gabriel, without whom they cannot be in Prague; Bellerin and Cedric are replaced by Chambers and Saka. Saka’s place on the right of the attack is taken by Pepe, while Willians goes to Martinelli on the left. and behind Lacazette, Smith Rowe Ceballos’ injury gives Ceballos an opportunity.
6:13 p.m. BST 6:13 p.m.
Paul Heckinbottom makes three changes to the team that lost at Leeds: Bogle, Jagielka and McBurnie are out, Egan, Ampadu and Burke come into play. I think Baldock is switching from the right center-back to the right full-back. but I think we’ll see because Stevens can play there too.
6:05 p.m. BST 6:05 p.m.
Sheffield United (a 3-5-2 continuity): Ramsdale; Stevens, Ampadu, Egan; Baldock, Fleck, Lundstram, Norwood, Osborn; Burke, McGoldrick. Subs: Foderingham, McBurnie, Mousset, Lowe, Jagielka, Bogle, Brewster, Bryan, Ndiaye.
Arsenal (a classic 4-3-3): Leno; Chambers, Holding, Mari, Saka; Xhaka, Partey, Ceballos; Pepe, Lacazette, Martinelli. Subs: Ryan, Bellerin, Gabriel, Willian, Cedric, Nelson, Elneny, Nketiah, Azeez.
5:27 p.m. BST 5:27 p.m.
First things first: Sunday evening at 7 p.m. is no time for a soccer game. Maybe it’s not that bad if there are no fans, but as soon as that changes, such narratives should be poured straight into the next skip and we say amen.
Otherwise and with apologies to Sheffield United who are on the Last place, this game is mostly about Arsenal. It’s not difficult to vilify Mikel Arteta. Praised as some sort of tactical shaman, he got a job he had little deserved, has no apparent charisma, and wasn’t good enough to be inspired by the reputation. But it’s not difficult to defend Mikel Arteta either. The job he got is brutal, he found a way to win the trophy and there have been noticeable improvements in terms of performance, organization and top level of his team.
Either way you lean, Arsenal’s last two appearances after a miserable loss to Liverpool and a soul-shattering draw with Slavia mean it arrives as a pressured game. What happens tonight will not affect his position but a positive result will help prepare for the game that will lead to the return of Europe on Thursday. My feeling is that it will start next season, but is that possible? Maybe he’s in a good mood against Unai Emerys Villarreal and how would the board go next? but it is not difficult to say that the task at hand is too great for someone as inexperienced as he is.
Blades have lost four straight times since defeating Villa in Chris Wilder’s last game. in their defense against decent opposition. But if Arsenal could choose their opponents, this would be who they would be.
Ref: https://www.theguardian.com
