by Oyez Olatunde Rex
(An analysis of Arsenal’s 0-2 Victory away at Leicester)
Without any slight to the dazzling squad Arsenal parades this season, the reality of Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz added to our injury list since our last game, it was glaring that Mikel Arteta’s striking options were limited.
With 20 minutes remaining to go in an encounter which could further drive the wedge between the gunners and their title chase if points were dropped, Arteta probably turned to his bench bearing in mind that the game remained goalless, and a single slip could mar the delicate balance of the situation, especially when there would be no time for correction of errors.
Then he turned to the genie in the bottle, uncorked the cap and unleashed the unknown. Merino was sent on in an unfamiliar striker’s role, and he superbly headed in Ethan Nwaneri’s cross to break the deadlock with ten minutes remaining.
The home team were caught unawares. Mikel Merino to them was an unfamiliar sight, an unknown threat upfront. He wrecked the havoc and Arsenal had the previous three points in their kitty before they recognized the unleashed genie.
Merino scored a second goal from Leandro Trossard’s low centre to wrap up victory on what had looked to be turning into a frustrating afternoon in Leicester.
Although the genie wrapped up the good works, the great outing at Leicester was not about him alone.
- Bournemouth Humiliate Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford as Carrick Faces Mounting Pressure
Bournemouth delivered another painful blow to Manchester United on Sunday,… - Tragedy in Kogi: Police Corporal Allegedly Kills Female Colleague, Takes Own Life After Reported Relationship Crisis
A tragic shooting incident involving two serving police officers has…
Earlier in the first half, the good work from the wonder kid, Ethan Nwaneri in the midfield created an opening on the left, but Myles Lewis-Skelly’s cross had too much on it.
The first shot on target came from the hosts. Declan Rice headed a left-wing cross clear, only for it to fall straight to Wilfred Ndidi who a shot sweetly, but David Raya got his ambition curtailed.
Nwaneri continued to terrorize the host in midfield, from the right he got Declan Rice, the multimillion pounds midfielder rose well but couldn’t direct his header on goal.
Raheem Sterling woke up not early in the game but when he did, he rattled the Leicester defence, and won Arsenal’s first corner with his deflected shot.
At the commencement of the second half of the encounter, weak flashes here and there was the best the gunners pulled off. But they clearly drove the host back mostly to their half.
Nwaneri was the brightest spark in the Arsenal attack. Mid second half, he latched onto an Odegaard laid pass, worked it onto his left foot but curled just over from the edge of the box. This spark was what sent Arteta’s mind racing for a brighter spark up front.
And in the final 20 minutes or so, he replaced Raheem Sterling with the bottled genie.
Within minutes he nearly got lucky with an inviting curling Jurrien Timber from the right, but couldn’t quite stretch enough.
Then the goal hungry gunners took more chances, and were nearly caught out at the back in a counter.
A wonderful intervention at the far post by Lewis-Skelly, when Jordan Ayew’s low cross flashed across goal.
But then came the breakthrough. Nwaneri was again involved, swinging in his cross from the right and there was the big Spaniard, to plant his header firmly into the net. A finish worthy of any centre forward.
Less than ten minutes later, he showed it was no fluke. This time it was an unerring connection with his left boot, from Trossard’s low cross.
“It was a stunning two-goal salvo from the midfielder-turned-striker” Mikel Arteta stated afterwards.
