A jolly good morning to you.
So, Arsenal made it to the group stages for the 17th year running after beating Besiktas yesterday. The game was tense, the Turkish side was up for the fight, but, as I wrote on Twitter today, I just cannot imagine CL group stages without Arsenal in it. Not only because I'm a fan, no. Mostly because the competition wouldn't feel the same. Like it stopped being the same after Liverpool's downfall and Juventus's fight upwards after relegation. Well, you get the idea.
The line-up
Back to the game, however. I nearly guessed the starting line-up two days ago, when I correctly predicted Koscielny will return to play alongside Mertesacker and Chambers would be given a breather. Ozil started out wide once more, with Wilshere playing centrally and Cazorla helping Jack out. The only surprise I didn't see coming? Alexis up front as a lone forward. The idea to change the way we operate seemed to grow on Wenger. Not that I have any complaints after yesterday's performance. Quite the opposite, I feel like I could kiss every Arsenal player and Arsene himself. The game plan worked, though it's still a bit rusty, but it worked nonetheless. The risk paid off, and boy am I glad it did.
The first half
It was a rather tedious affair, I have to say. Unfortunately I missed the opening 12 minutes, because NTV didn't care to broadcast the game. Instead, they aired some pathetic low-budget series on the main channel and just about every other qualifier on the paid channels. Sure, Ludogorets game is much more gripping, than Arsenal vs Besiktas. So I had to search for a steam.
Out of the remaining 34 minutes (extra minute included), 33 were uninteresting. Arsenal was on the ball most of that time, but found it hard to break Besiktas down. I can recall only one decent attack in that time, when Ozil stormed down the left, but the lack of his understanding with Sanchez ensured the move came to nothing. Apart from that moment (which only happened because we were quick on the counter) not much went our way.
Up until the very last minute of the half, which saw us finally break the deadlock in a magnificent way. Sanchez (I won't call him Alexis every time. I don't get why he opted to write Alexis on his shirt) exchanged passes with a very lively Debuchy on the right, the Frenchman's cross was cleared and it fell to Wilshere. Jack tried a one-two with Ozil, but the German's pass was meant for Alexis instead. Seeing this, Wilshere stepped aside to give the Chilean some space and hold off the defender in the process and Sanchez slotted home. Calmly. Without any fuss. What a time for him to open the goalscoring account at Arsenal. My hearty congrats to the man. The whistle blew seconds after Besiktas restarted from the centre.
The second half
The second 45 minutes were packed with events. Arsene opted not to make changes in order not to fix what wasn't broken and this decision paid off.
Between the 46th and 76th minute we created a flurry of chances. Cazorla, Oxlade and Jack were particularly lively, but it was Sanchez who stole the show. He fought for every ball (even winning some aerial duels!), succeeded more often than not in getting the ball back and was a positive influence all around. We really should have put the game out of Besiktas's reach in the 75th minute, but first Cazorla and then Chamberlain failed to put the ball into the back of the net. However, it would have been too easy, and we all know Arsenal doesn't do things the easy way.
From the aforementioned attack, Besiktas stormed upfield and Debuchy hacked down some bloke near the centre circle. Now, I have to state that the tackle itself was clean. Debuchy went for the ball, got it and then was astounded at the ref's reaction: namely, Pedro Proenca (yes, I specifically looked up this jerk's name!) branded a yellow card to our right-back. With one yellow already in tow, it meant Debuchy had to go and we were down to ten men. Again. Arsene was giving everyone the stick on the sidelines. But there was nothing he could do about the sending off.
As I've said, the tackle was clear and if it was the reason behind the red card, then Proenca got it wrong. Plain and simple. However, there are two other things that need to be taken into consideration, which I only spotted on the replays and which could well have been the cause of ref's displeasure. First: Debuchy tugged the Turkish bloke on the shirt before launching into a sliding tackle. The attack carried no threat, though, so I find this reason a bit stretched to be the truth.
The second one is more likely. After the episode with the tackle, Debuchy engaged in a rather heated discussion with the ref, even pushing the official at one point. That's called unsporting behaviour and it's a perfectly plausible reason to give a yellow card. So I'm not really inclined to hold this decision against Proenca. The Italian made some mistakes during the game, but if he sent Debuchy off for unsporting behavior, I have to admit he had every right to do so. The Frenchman should rather take a long look at himself and ask whether he wants to commit shady tackles in the middle of the park when the attack carries little threat and he himself had already been booked.
Chambers was introduced for Ozil and immediately received a yellow. For coming on the pitch without permission. That was harsh. Moreover, I think Calum did get the green light by the fourth official, Proenca just didn't notice that.
Anyway, Chambers was on and almost set up Sanchez for a brace seconds later, but for the Chilean to put his effort wide from approximately 11 yards out.
After that it was backs-to-the-wall stuff from us. Cazorla was especially useful, at one point regaining possession three times in a duration of one attack on our goal. Besiktas had one chance right at the death, but, mercifully, Ba (who had otherwise been quiet all night) didn't see the ball and so his header never came. Thank God, it would have killed us. And buried along with our chances to qualify.
The whistle blew minutes after that and Arsene celebrated like he'd won the FA Cup again. You can get him. For one, I celebrated just as much for the remainder of the night (I still haven't had breakfast. Will be more like lunch now). And secondly we passed a very stern test while still not completely ready as a team and with a slew of key players out.
The aftermath
This is what Wenger said on the performance:
"Overall I feel we produced a performance we wanted on the technical side, on the tactical side and on the mental side. We were at the level that was requested tonight against a good team but we couldn't finish the game off and that of course [made it] very difficult for us in the last 10 minutes when we were down to ten men."
Well, we had a very good second half, I have to say. Much more fluent, confident, creating chances. Maybe it's because we've scored before the break. Goals always do wonders to our confidence. Maybe because we feel more comfortable playing on the counter and were given the chance to do just that, as Besiktas had to abandon their shells in search for an equaliser. Whatever it is, I liked our performance and am now looking forward to our next game. I'm genuinely excited about the prospect of seeing us perform like we did yesterday once again. Would be easier with Ramsey and (probably) Arteta back.
On Giroud's injury:
"Giroud had surgery today from a broken tibia and he will be out for 3-4 months on the competition side. That means he will be capable to play again in the Premier League certainly at the end of December because he will be out for two months. By the time he comes back, that goes three to four months."
That's harsh, but the blow is softened somewhat by the news emerging yesterday. I suspect Arsene held it back not to cause a backlash, which, in it's turn, could have affected the players and heaped even more pressure on Sanchez to deliver.
On whether Sanchez will be able to fill in for these 3-4 months at CF:
"For three or four months? He can play there his whole life. I bought him to play as a striker, not to play only on the flanks."
That's just music to my ears. Along with "The Show Must Go On" I'm listening to right now. Seriously, though, it looks like it was Arsene's plan all along to use Giroud as the main striker only for the adaption period of Sanchez and then use Giroud from the bench. Not a bad idea, considering how well Giroud's done when coming on this season and how well Alexis performed yesterday. However, the untimely injury to the Frenchman made Arsene force the issue. That's why we may not buy a striker at all. No complaints. Just more Sanchez up top, please.
Arsene later went on to say he hasn't contacted either Zigic or Welbeck (phew) and that puts to bed the ridiculous rumours which were circulating for the whole day. Thank God.
The boss also said he's open to signings as long as they strengthen the team (I've become used to that cliche over the years) and there are already rumours we might sign PSG's young midfielder Rabiot. Which sounds exactly like Wenger's type of player. He's young, he's French, he's a midfielder. As someone rightly noted on Twitter, this signing basically autocompletes itself.
Finally, Wenger's take on Jack's performance:
"I feel from game to game he grows. He got some criticism recently and the best response is to show on the pitch that he's getting better and better. I think he has found a little burst to get away from people which he didn't have for a while. In the last two or three games you see it slowly coming back."
The first time I truly enjoyed Jack's performance in, like, two years. Good to see him returning to full fitness. By the way, is it because Wenger admires Jack so much that he shifted Ozil, a natural playmaker to the left just to play Wilshere in his favoured position? It would look a bit strange, especially as I'm of the opinion Ozil's talents are better used under the striker, but Arsene may have his views. And, as he has infinitely more information than I do, I trust his judgement.
Phew, that's it for today. Sorry it's a bit long, but the night was also long and packed. Time for my brunch.
And I'll be back with you tomorrow, either to discuss a shiny new signing, if there will be any or to write my bit on Cazorla.
Until then, enjoy the win and the performance that comes with it
P.S. Capital One Cup draw took place yesterday and we'll play Southampton at home in the 3rd round. I'll get to this game as it draws nearer
