[ad_1]
No fairy tale or commotion, but a fine piece of imagination. A routine victory for Arsenal was resolved with a play that was not routine at all. Nicolas Pepe elevated things in this 3-0 win over a determined Dundalk with a sumptuous goal, which gave a tantalizing glimpse of the player Mikel Arteta wanted him to be.
While anyone would know the folly of describing this as a potential tipping point, it is a step in the right direction and the kind of end product that Pepe should start offering. That’s the real value of games like this as Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock added to their accounts for the clubs.
For Dundalk, the recently deposed Irish champions, it’s usually about the prestige of such a stage, not to mention the value of the cash prize, but they had the misfortune to draw a game like this at a time like this.
He said a lot that early in the second half they were taking out one of their best players in Chris Shields for a crucial game against St Patrick’s Athletic at the weekend.
That is to try to return to this stage, as Arsenal showed its true reality.
“height =” 416 “width =” 554 “srcset =” https://static.independent.co.uk/2020/10/29/21/newFile-2.jpg?width=320 320w, https: // static .independent.co.uk / 2020/10/29/21 / newFile-2.jpg? width = 640 640w “layout =” responsive “i-amphtml-layout =” responsive “>
Nketiah celebrates his goal vs Dundalk
(Getty)
Dundalk still earned his credit.
There is a thin line for clubs like Dundalk in these games so they tend to have to prioritize a fairly thick line at the back.
Resource and quality gaps mean they have no choice but to investigate and counter, but the problem is, it means there isn’t much they can do once they are left behind. So it was in this game.
The biggest frustration for Dundalk and coach Filippo Giovagnoli was that collectively their form had been good. They were just disappointed by individual mistakes.
As curious as it may sound after a final score like that, there was a relatively long period of heartbreak in Arsenal’s game. They were forcing it and they couldn’t create adequate opportunities as Dundalk remained strong.
The first proper advance didn’t really come from the game, but from a block, when the ball bounced through the seating area for Nketiah just yards away. Somehow he missed from inside the six-yard box.
Willock celebrates his goal vs Dundalk
(AFP)
He didn’t have to think about it too much or wait much longer for a better chance.
However, that’s the other thing about games like this. Even if it is not the first team of the richer side, the opposition has to be first in everything and 100%. That did not happen.
Gary Rogers, who had been the penalty shootout hero in the Europa League tie against Sheriff Tiraspol to basically make sure Dundalk got that far, missed a corner, allowing Nketiah to make amends quickly by pushing from even closer.
It was probably that in any case, but Arsenal made sure right away, courtesy of another individual mistake. A touch to the edge of the area put Joe Willock, who hit the ball on the roof of the net.
It looked like it could have been an avalanche, as Arsenal claimed another just after the break, and the third in four minutes of football.
This was Pepe’s moment, and quite a goal.
The ball had been bouncing along the edge of the box, only for the forward to control it with his cleats in an unorthodox way, before curving it into the net.
It was a supreme and almost frustrating vision of what could be.
This weekend get a £ 10 free bet with Betfair, when you bet £ 10 on the same multiple game in the Premier League. Conditions: Minimum £ 10 for the same game Multiple bet on any EPL match this Friday to Sunday. Free bet valid for 72 hours, awarded when the bet is settled. Does not include cashed bets. Terms and conditions apply.
[ad_2]