Man Utd 0-1 Arsenal: Results ✅ Performance 😬

Match report – Game work – Species action – Video

Back in March, Arsenal went to Old Trafford and played really well, especially during the first half. We drew that game 1-1 in a day when the lack of groundbreaking in front was a significant issue. Yesterday we went to Old Trafford and played much worse than that, but got away with a 1-0 victory thanks to Riccardo Calafioris 13th minute goal.

I know what I prefer.

On the opening day for a new season, you would like to see the team play to their best level, but I think it is something basic strange about Man Utd away for us. In the Premier League era we have only won there 6 times, each of these games has been a 1-0. The Italian now stands with Marc Overmars, Sylvain Wiltord, Emmanuel Adebayor, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Leandro Trossard as someone who has scored a winning goal for us there. It’s such an odd sequence, and I can’t escape the feeling – that for some reason this stadium is one thing for us – you have to look at yesterday through that price.

On paper, the team looked good. Viktor Gyokeres got the nod in front, and when I saw each midfield, I thought we would dominate that area on the pitch. It didn’t really happen at any stage, and the fact that only William Saliba did more distances yesterday than Martin Odegaard tells something about how hard the captain worked (and where) and the total Arsenal performance.

It’s really hard to know why we didn’t perform, but we had too many players in the game’s periphery. The longer it went, the more I was convinced that Declan Rice was not 100% – he had fewer touch of the ball than David Raya during the first half and ended the match in the same way. When we purser he is involved and he was just not yesterday. Martin Zubimendi had a good looking but unspectacular debut, and I thought ODEGAARD was trying to draw any strings, but I don’t think he got help from both Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli as well.

That meant we had to trust our defensive strength, something Mikel Arteta noted after the match. It was an Iffy moment from Raya during the first half, but he produced a great rescue from Matheus Cunha, and an excellent punch from a dangerous Bruno Fernandes corner. United met the post, and I thought Bryan Mbeumo was the most dangerous player on the pitch, every time the ball came to him he looked dangerous – almost the polar opposite when our Wingers were involved.

I wondered if things can change at the break, if there was something that Arteta could adjust to change the dynamics of the game, but it was more of the same. We had moments of transition where we could have done better but that is an issue we will have to work from our system rather than giving an immediate fix. It was stylish, stop starting with lots of fouls and free kicks (mostly for United), and Raya was called to action again to deny MBEUMO’s near post -head.

We brought Kai Haveltz and Noni Madueke for a debut. He was quiet, the German fought hard in front, but at this point it really felt like a game that we would have to see rather than winning more convincingly. And in the end, that’s what we did. Was it fun? No. Would I have preferred to see a better performance? Absolutely. I really care this morning? Not at all.

When I looked at the fixture when it came out, my heart dropped a little that this was our first game. I saw the united team yesterday and thought it was beadible, especially if our midfield came on top of things, but whatever it is about this ground we always think it is difficult to go there. So getting away with three points is very, very comfortable, and we have one of our most difficult games during the season out of the way during the process.

Afterwards, no sugar either said:

Getting in the first fixture to Old Trafford with that atmosphere, how they build speed with the new signings and excitement around it, is top. I mean, it’s an amazing feeling. And then we have to be really humble about how we did it.

We really won because we put a magnificent set in. And after how we reacted to mistakes. To make unthreated mistakes, mistakes that are very far from the standards we normally have. Of course, we have to improve many things, and it will happen very soon. But when it comes to succeeding in getting it to a very positive result, it is a good way to do so.

I understand how we played, but this is the first game in the Premier League, and the result is considering a long way. During the season you want to see the team click, but when the games matter it doesn’t matter how you win when you do. That said, I think there will be a lot for the manager, coaching staff and players to work with before the first home game against Leeds on Saturday.

Gyokeres had a sufficiently quiet debut and did not get a lot of service, but he didn’t do much with the ball when he did. Early days, obviously, but winning breeding confidence in the team like nothing else, so there is a positive there. Zubimendi will have learned that English football is physical, he caught an arm in the face early that the officials just released, and it can only take some time for that midfield trio to real gel. When it comes to Madueke, it is remarkable that he came to the left to replace a rather anonymous Martinelli, but just like the others, it is difficult to properly on an Arsenal shirt in connection with a collective performance under par. The lack of Leandro Trossard may be interesting for those who are looking for further reinforcement of the squad, but in all likelihood it is because he was only back from injury and did not risk one day when we were not playing well.

Anyway, as I said above, I have seen Arsenal play much better at Old Trafford and get away with much less. It is obvious that we have to raise the level when we play again, especially when it comes to our creative and attacking games, but yesterday showed that our defensive platform remains strong and it played a big role in taking all three points.

Right, I’m leaving that for this morning. We have an Arsecast extra for you in a little while. We have already posted the call for questions about Bluesky @gunnerblog.bsky.social and @aseblog.com with the hashtag #areCastextra – or if you are an ARSEBLOG -Member of Patreon, leave your question in #ASSCAST-EXTRA-RATESS Channel on our Discord server.

Pod should be out around noon. Until then, have a good one.