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Arsenal came out guns blazing in their EPL GW 2 match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, only to end up fighting to maintain their lead as the match ended. Arsenal beat Crystal Palace a measly 1-0, in what was a hugely entertaining match, especially in the second half.
Odegaard to the Rescue
Martin Odegaard scored the only goal of the match, with a superb penalty conversion in the 54th minute. Note; we are talking of Arsenal’s only goal as resulting from a penalty and not actual back-and-forth play. Arsenal were lethal, yes, but only in the first half and first quarter of the second half.
Easy Eze
Come the second half, Crystal started baying for blood (much more ruthlessly than they had done before), especially with Odegaard’s penalty conversion that gave Arsenal a single-goal lead. Things got pretty cutthroat at the front with Eberechi Eze bringing on the pressure like he’d been sent to the pitch to collect heads and not goals. Eze was the game’s matchmaker, and he led the team that caused what looked like a panicked rush for Arsenal, who even subbed in defenders just to defend their one-goal lead.
Tomiyasu Sent Off
Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu was sent off in the 67th minute, after being shown a second yellow card, which automatically meant he’d be shown the red card and sent off the pitch. Tomiyasu’s first yellow was as a result of time-wasting where he delayed making a throw-in. New Premier League rules now penalize time-wasting. Takehiro’s second yellow card was a result of a sloppy tackle.
Just by a Whisker: Arteta’s 10-Man Arsenal Runs with It but Just But
Mikel Arteta got away with this one, but just by a whisker. Arteta and his men need to pull up their socks. Least not because they’ve resorted to relying on penalty shots to gain an advantage. Arteta needs to sharpen his squad, especially now that he has new players who could do very well if he hones their skills.
Kai Havertz and Declan Rice Make Some Impact
Good examples of new Arsenal signees that could do really well are Kai Havertz, who was signed from Chelsea in late June, and Declan Rice, who transferred to Arsenal from West Ham in mid-July. Havertz, despite not having been fully utilized at Chelsea, and Rice who did well in West Ham, could be standout players in Arsenal if Arteta is keen to give them the chance.
Havertz had some impact in yesterday’s game, even as he did not get a chance to make a detailed display of his prowess. Declan Rice, on the other hand, was more entuned to the team and made a fair contribution to the team. It is, therefore, upon Arteta to know how to organize and deploy his team for the maximum impact of all players, especially the very best players in the squad.
