That means we’re done here, so thanks for your company and comments – sorry I couldn’t use them all – and see you next time. Peace and love, people.
Apologies, my internet has packed up. However, look at me tethering! I am young! And here’s Sid Lowe’s match report.
I didn’t realise that penalty FCK missed at Old Trafford was taken by Jordan Larsson, son of the great Henrik. Get yourselves caught up with the great Scott Murray.
Or, put another way, if Arsenal win the return in two weeks, they’ll be close to through and, if Lens beat PSV, they’ll be actually through.
Elsewhere, Lens found an equaliser against PSV, so the group looks like this:
Arsenal P3 Pts 6
Lens P3 Pts 5
Sevilla P3 Pts 2
PSV P3 Pts 2
FULL TIME: Sevilla 1-2 Arsenal
Phew! Great win for Arsenal – Sevilla pushed them hard but they scored two jazzers and defended just about well enough. They seize control of Group B!
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90+7 min Acuna hits a huge switch out to Ocampos and his first touch is terrific, bringing the ball down and delivering it into his stride … but he slices wide of the near post!
90+7 min At Old Trafford, three minutes over the allotted injury-time, FCK have a penalty … and Onana saves it! Decent night for United’s fall-guys.
90+5 min Nyland comes up but Arsenal get the corner away and Sevilla build again, but Acuna humps a terrible ball into the box and this time Raya collects cleanly, falling on it and staying fallen on it. That should be it…
90+4 min NOW THEN! Juanlu skips inside a lazy challenge from Trossard, swishes in a minging cross … and Raya panics, diving high at it … the ball grazing his knuckles and flying behind, just! That was so, so close.
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90+3 min Arsenal knock it about, Rice scything after the ball trying to win a free-kick off Lamela … but nothing doing. What I love about Rice is that opponents know that, if they’re facing him, win or lose they’re in for a painful night.
90-+1 min Kiwior replaces Martinelli, and what a signing he’s been, £6m from Ituano. The scout who spotted him should be feeling pretty stoked, especially if he’s Australian.
90+1 min There we go, six added minutes and Rakitic crosses into the box … but Arsenal clear.
90 min Sevilla build patiently, Lamela trying a one-tow off En-Nesyri, but Tmiyasu is wise to the ruse, stepping in to intercept.
89 min It’s a while since Sevilla have seriously threatened. I don’t think there’ll be loads of injury time, but we’ve had a few injuries, subs and two goals, so that could easily be six minutes.
87 min Nketiah loses possession and Juanlu drills a cross into Tomiyasu that flies out for a throw. In co-comms, meanwhile, Lucy Ward notes that Rice has come alive as the game’s got tense, and I agree. I still don’t think he’s got enough on the ball to play as an 8 – though if he can score a few more he can change that – but his ability to cover the width and sprint the length is exceptional.
86 min By the way, is it just me who thinks that Leandro Trossard looks not unlike the Guardian’s Owen Jones?
85 min Sevilla had momentum just before and just after they scored, but the changes – and, in particular, the work of Declan Rice – have helped Arsenal keep that in check.
83 min Aha, at the same time as the Nketiah change, Trossard replaced Saka.
81 min Absolute sake. We mentioned Jesus staying fit not that long ago and, diving away from Soumare, he pulls up with hammy-twang. He’s replaced by Nketiah, which is fine for now, but Arsenal won’t want to be without him for long.
80 min “Here’s another one!” returns Charlie Robinson. “This time from Kanu – at 1.10 minutes, how to round the keeper one-on-one without actually touching the ball!”
Yup, I posted that below, but the video deserves its own space.
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79 min Another change for Sevilla, Juanlu for Navas.
77 min Saliba, though; what a player he could become, what a player he already is. He easily confiscates possession from En-Nesyri, sets away an attack, and Saka threatens down the right. But he can’t make anything of it, Sevilla attack down the right, and Navas swivels into a surprise cross that forces Saliba to make an emergency intervention, leaping and relieved to see the ball skim off his head to relative safety.
75 min I’m really interested to see if and how Arsenal close this out. Sevilla are giving them no peace in possession now, and when Lamela looks to have stolen away form Saliba, he goes down on the edge of the box … and is booked for diving.
73 min Arsenal make a change, Havertz replacing Odegaard. That makes sense – I’m sure Arteta wants his physical presence and ball-holding, not to mention his height defending set-pieces.
73 min Back at Old Trafford, Harry Maguire has put United ahead.
71 min And now Sevilla respond, winning a corner down the left, Rakitic to take.
69 min Sevilla’s changes have worked well, though game-state is presumably part of the reason they’re controlling possession now. But have a look at this! Rice again picks up a loose ball, taking Jorginho’s interception not far outside his own box and barrelling forward close to Sevilla’s. But with Jesus free to his left, he instead looks right for Saka, who’s quickly crowded out.
68 min … and now we’re back, Sevilla in search of an equaliser.
64 min My coverage jumps…
63 min Soumare clips a crossfield pass into the box, Diaz controls on his chest, the ball drops … and he astonishes a shot against the underside of the bar! Did Raya get a finer to that? I’m not sure, but then the flag goes up for handball – that chest control wasn’t as good as I thought it was.
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61 min “You mention rounding the keeper in a one-on-one situation,” says Charlie Robinson. This is not only the best example of the genre, but also one of the best goals ever scored at an international tournament – please stand for Davor Suker against Germany at Euro 96.”
His goals at that always vex me because some of my mates drove up to Hillsborough for Croatia v Denmark and my parents wouldn’t let me go with. But, as the Joy of Six below notes, you can’t beat Kanu v Depor.
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59 min Elsewhere in this group, PSV lead 1-0 in Lens. If they hang on and Arsenal win here, they’ll be a very long way to qualified.
GOAL! Sevilla 1-2 Arsenal (Gudelj 58)
Or not! Rakitic’s corner flies flat, just beyond the near post, and Gudelj, up first and in front of Jesus, hammers a fine header inside the upright! Game on!
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57 min Double change for Sevilla, Lamela and Diaz replaced Sow and Lukebakio. I fear it may be too little, too late … but they win a corner down the right…
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56 min This is excellent from Arsenal, who’ve started the second half like animals. Again, Rice seizes upon a loose ball and drives forward, it ends up with Saka, and he’s barged over in the box by Ocampos. It’s not a penalty, but it’s not far off.
55 min Jesus is under pressure as an Arsenal centre-forward and he’ll know it. He does so much so well, but he needs better numbers and goals when they’re really needed, else he’ll be replaced. Well, he’s on his way – if he can stay fit and in form.
OHHHH WHAT A GOAL! Sevilla 0-2 Arsenal (Jesus 53)
We said he was feeling himself, but now he’s eating himself! Raya kicks long and Rice collects the weak headed clearance, finding Jesus down the left. He cuts into the box from the side, dips inside Navas … and curls a rasping brute into the far side-netting, two-thirds of the way up! Two stupendous goals from Arsenal, and this is over!
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51 min Arsenal have been solid at the back tonight snd, as i type that, Tomiyasu stands strong to see a ball over the by-line, Lukebakio doing all he can to intercede and giving away a free-kick.
50 min Jesus is feeling himself here, showing for the ball and setting another attack in motion. The ball goes right, Saka crosses, and Jesus is now in the middle … but Gudelj jumps well and prevents him heading for goal.
48 min Arsenal maintain pressure, Martinelli on the left and lifting over the defender for Jesus down the side of the box. Nyaldnrushes out, the ball hits him and falls for Odegaard … who snatches at his shot, lashing over.
47 min Conceding then, like that, will have devastated Sevilla and Arsenal are at them immediately, White, Odegaard and Saka linking before the former thrashes wide.
46 min We go again…
Looking again at the goal, though I know Sevilla were squeezing, playing a team like Arsenal you’re always likely to give up chances with so much space in behind. Respect to them for pushing in injury-time, but giving themselves so little security was naive. Still, though, there was so much work to do. Jesus’ first touch was impeccable, allowing the Cruyff turn that created the passing space and lane, then Martinelli finished really well. Rounding the keeper is clearly the best way of finishing a one-on-one – feel free to tell me I’m wrong – but it’s almost disappeared from the game so any night we see it is a good night.
I’ll be back with you shortly, but in the meantime, here’s tape of the only other time this fixture has taken place.
In Manchester, it’s United 0-0 FCK, and it’s not pretty.
HALF-TIME: Sevilla 0-1 Arsenal
That was a tight half, but eventually class told.
WHAT A GOAL! Sevilla 0-1 Arsenal (Martinelli 45+4)
Sevilla build a dangerous attack and squeeze, but when Gabriel clears Lukebakio’s cross, Jesus does fantastically to kill and turn on the ball, eluding two defenders in the process, before sliding a gorgeous through-pass for Martinelli who, streaking over halfway is in! And this time, he doesn’t make obvious his intentions, rounding the keeper to the right and sliding home! That is a fantastic goal, and what a way to mark your Champions League debut!
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45+1 min Excellent from Ocampos, punching a fine pass into En-Nesyri as, for one, Arsenal vacate the central area of the pitch. And the Moroccan collects well too, taking the ball slightly away from goal before swivelling into a low shot that scooshes just wide of the far post.
45 min We’ll have four added minutes.
45 min “I can understand why officials looking at Ronaldo’s terminator-esque physique, and susceptible to subconscious dislike of him, would let a lot of fouls on him go unpunished,” reckons Zach Neeley. “Saka is a smaller and, in my opinion naturally likeable young man. I wish there would be more restraint on kicking his legs out from under him before it shortens a highly watchable career.”
Yes, we’d be silly to think refs are somehow able to act like they’ve no opinions on the fellow humans they’re in charge of.
43 min Saliba, White and Rice combine nicely to work the ball away, but Sevilla harry well, stopping the attack before it’s even an attack.
43 min It’s also still 0-0 at Old Trafford. Manchester United are miserable.
41 min Rakitic swings out and Raya collects easily.
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40 min Martinelli runs into Sow, the former landing awkwardly and the latter winded. I think they’ll both be OK and when we’re back under way, Sevilla will have a free-kick down the right, 25 yards from goal…
39 min More Arsenal possession but then Sevilla release Lukebakio and he sends in another decent low cross … but there’s no one in the middle, so White can clean up an initially errant touch.
37 min Colossal challenge by Rice on halfway – that’s more like it – and he powers through Sow but then a poor touch by Martinelli gives the ball straight back to Sevilla.
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36 min I said pre-match I was a little concerned about Arsenal’s midfield, and they’re not controlling this in the way they’d like; I’m not sure the blend is right because almost all the attacking onus is on Odegaard, who’s not getting decent possession off his mates.
34 min There’s a long break in play as Saka is treated, but we’re back under way now.
32 min But here are both, Odegaard finding Saka who’s immediately nailed by Ocampos. He goes down clutching an angle, and he’s the new Ronaldo in that sense: someone it seems opponents are allowed to kick as often as they fancy. However, watching a replay, I think Ocampos actually gets his lead leg in between Saka and the ball, catching him with his trailing foot. He’s limping, but I think he’ll be OK.
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30 min Arsenal show good patience circulating the ball – Sevilla want to press them but you can see they’re feart of leaving spaces. I would, though, like to see more of Saka and Odegaard, who’ve done very little so far.
29 min “Of all the various ways that Ifab has meddled with the laws of football,” says Kári Tulinius, “this is probably the least consequential, but it irks me that now the referee restarts the game with a dropped-ball, should the ball hit him. I liked the old way, when the referee was considered a part of the field, like a corner flag with a whistle and legs.”
I guess they didn’t want the potential spectacle of a big game being settled by that kind of intervention – no sense of humour, those Ifab lads.
28 min Eeesh! The corner goes shot to Jesus, who plays a return pass – they’ve practised this – only for Martinelli to allow the ball under his foot and behind.
26 min We’ve not seen much of Rice thus far but he burrows into space down the left, fights through a challenge or two, hits the line, looks up, sees a man in the middle … and cuts back beyond everyone. Still, Arsenal soon win a corner, Martinelli to take…
26 min Sevilla are looking to stretch Arsenal, full-backs keeping the width, and Acuna gets forward again … but his cross deflects off White, then Gabriel clears.
24 min “If you ever get to travel to Prague for an away game at Slavia, Sparta, or my own beloved Bohemians (unfortunately already knocked out of Europe),” says Charlie Robertson, “then you cannot go wrong with smazeny syr (breaded and deep-fried cheese, served with fries and tartar sauce). But the real star is svickova, a slab of beef in a creamy sauce with cream and cranberry sauce, served with proper Eastern European bread dumplings. Not the most sophisticated of scran, but goes great with a Czech beer - avoid Gambrinus and Staropramen, and find a pub serving food and Svijany.”
I want to go right now, but only if the tartar is sufficiently sharp. Often, it’s too bland and mayonnaisey.
22 min Arsenal attack again down the left, Martinelli feeding into the box for Jesus, who has look, opens his body and tries a curler … that drifts wide of the far post.
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21 min Arsenal haven’t played especially well or anything, but we’re seeing a decent level of assurance from them; they’re not waiting to collapse but EXCUSE ME WHILE I INTERRUPT MYSELF! A dreadful pass out from Raya finds Ocampos, but when he punches into the bcx, Lukebakio can’t control. Let-off for Arsenal, and Raya in particular.
19 min Here come Sevilla down the right, Navas lashing over another dangerous low cross. There’s no one on the end of it, though, then Ocampos and Acuna combine to give away a foul trying to retrieve the ball down the other side.
17 min It’s raining in Seville now, and I wonder if that’ll send the Sevilla kits see-through; the material makes it look that way.
15 min And there’s White now, nipping back in front of Ocampos right when it looks like he’s been done. He’s been so impressive since joining Arsenal, learning a new position with alarming speed. One of the reasons Saka is so good is how often he’s found with quality passes by his right-flank partner.
14 min I may have spoken too soon; it’s slowed down again. So, in the meantime, top top players who play for Arsenal: Saliba, Odegaard and Saka, while Rice, Martinelli and White might get there.
12 min Arsenal have two centre-backs on halfway and everyone else inside the Sevilla half. I’m still not totally convinced by them – I’m not sure they’ve enough top, top players to win the big pots – but I could not be convinceder that they’re brutal to play against. Same goes for Newcastle, while we’re on the subject.
11 min Elsewhere, it’s Man United 0-0 FCK, but FCK have already hit the post. You can follow along with that one here:
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10 min This is warming up nicely now, Navas earning a little bit of space on the right – all he needs to snap over a low cross, Ocampos running to the front post and stabbing an effort just wide of it.
9 min Arsenal should score! One straight pass from Jorginho finds Jesus along on halfway and he slides in Martinelli! but one-on-one with Nyland, he’s so confident he’s over-confident, opening his body to telegraph a sidefooter that’s too imprecise to go in anyway, allowing the keeper to block.
7 min Tomiyasu’s been getting himself forward early doors and he allows a pass from Martinelli to run across him, creating decent space in the process. But then he gets excited, snatching at a shot which flashes wide of the near post.
6 min “I’d vouch for Juventus away as being a footie foodie’s dream trip,” returns Justin Kavangh. “The range of starter choices (Piedmontese antipasta) alone will probably have you arriving late for kick-off, and as for the sheer diversity of pasta main courses and wild meats and cheeses, well, as Ian Rush famously observed, it’s like living in a foreign country. But count your blessings and not the calories: despite the home team’s kit, it’s not Newcastle.”
I’ve not been to Juve away but I have been to Turin on a Euro away, where the pizza was excellent. However the lack of heat in all Italian food leaves me a little cold.
5 min Arsenal use the free-kick to win a throw much deeper inside the Sevilla half and when White throws to Odegaard, on the by-line, his header back causes minor panic as the ball bounces inside the box, but it’s swiftly cleared thereafter.
4 min It’s been a slow start to the game, which Arsenal will take. Sevilla are trying to jump onto them when they play out, but they’re so good at doing that now and Saka wins a free-kick just over halfway.
2 min On which point, their women’s side’s away kit is a beauty.
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2 min Arsenal are in their green and blue away kit, a nod to this 80s classic.
1 min Away we go!
These sides have met once before, in the 2007 Champions League: Arsenal won 3-0 at home and lost 3-1 away
“Hmm,” begins Charles Antaki, “atmosphere away from home… Not great auguries for Arsenal; it seem to unman them at Lens, and Arsenal fans remember what the Sean-Dyche’s-first-game atmosphere was like at Goodison last season, which arguably heralded the later decline. Earplugs all round perhaps. Mind you, if Arsenal trot out wearing their ghastly away strip, that might render the locals speechless for a while.”
Yeah, you don’t know you can win at these grounds until you do, and Arsenal haven’t yet. Tonight will be a good test for them.
Here come our teams! It’s laaaahd!
OK, you made me say it: the best Euro away food is Wolves or Villa.
Partey is a “big miss” – he got a muscle injury in training yesterday – and Zinchenko has played and travelled a lot recently, which is why he’s left out. Or at least that’s why we’re told he’s left out; more likely, the reason is his defensive frailty, rthough i’d expect to seehim later on when the game slows down.
Go on then, we’re getting there, so: which Euro away is getting you the best food? Lyon is up there and, though I’ve never been, Marseille. But here’s Arteta so we’ll come back to that.
“I remember a while ago laughing at a colleague of yours a while ago for not having known that Sergio Ramos moved from Real Madrid to PSG. ‘Ho ho ho’, I chuckled to myself, ‘a so-called football expert not knowing that!’ And then you find out that Kieran Tierney went off to Real Sociedad ages ago. It just goes to show, doesn’t it? I can think of at least 15 Premier League clubs who’d be improved by having him at left back.”
Trudat, though it doesn’t matter how good he is – nor how much he loves the cold – if he’s often injured. He may also have fancied a bit of Champions League and San Sebastián scran – deep fried, of course.
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I talked about confidence earlier, in regard to Arsenal; well, Sevilla have it too. They feel unbeatable at home in Europe, with good reason – they qualified by winning the Europa League, again, and will get after it from the start. I’m sure Arteta will have drilled into his team the need to start properly, but it’s easier said than done and they’ve developed a dangerous habit of allowing opposing attackers to run right through the middle of them.
Full-times: Galatasaray 1-3 Bayern Munich, Inter 2-1 Salzburg.
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If I’m Diego Alonso, I’m having En-Nesyri plonked on Jorginho every time Ramsdale has the ball; if I’m Arteta, I’m thinking about using Rice as my 6, with Jorginho as one of my 8s.
I’ve not actually been to Sánchez Pizjuán, but mates who have – and who’ve been all over – speak of it very highly. The most intimidating atmosphere I’ve experienced, by far – and I’ve been to Besiktas, Milan, Madrid, Barcelona and others – was at Rangers when Man United were there in 2003. It wasn’t as good the second time, but that first one, goodness me – and, of course, Ibrox is also one of our most beautiful grounds – especially the main stand facade, designed by Archibald Leitch.
So where is the game for Arsenal? I worry a little about them in central midfield – Jorginho has his attributes but can be got at – though they’ll fancy themselves against the right side of Sevilla’s defence. I’d expect Martinelli to look in behind Navas but he’ll also want to get at him one-on-one, while Jesus will surely plan to run off Ramos who, though still good, doesn’t have the speed to keep up.
Looking again at the Sevilla side, my guess is they look to hit En-Nesyri and play off him. But they can also move it through midfield, Soumaré a better player than he looked at Leicester and Rakitic the same beautiful passer he ever was. If those two play well, the front three are in the game and Arsenal will have a problem.
Bayern are so bayern. Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala have put them 3-1 up at Gala, so that one’s over, while in Milan, Inter lead Salzburg 2-1.
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Email! “I was lucky enough to be in the Éstadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán the other week,” writes Justin Kavanagh, “with the Tartan Army in full voice. The chants were as entertaining as the football. But as Arsenal’s only Scotsman is out on loan (in Spain!) at the moment, I fear the Gunners have no chance of following through on the Scots’ threat to ‘Deep fry your tapas, we’re gonna deep fry your tapas’.”
Heh, that would definitely be an improvement. I’m sorry Guardianistas, but it is what it is.
It’s not hard to understand why Arteta has done what he’s done: he wants solidity not creativity. And given Lukebakio, Sevilla’s right-winger is left-footed, he’ll be coming inside on Tomiyasu’s stronger side.
Otherwise, David Raya remains the favourite keeper despite his weekend error – by the looks of things, Aaron Ramsdale will have to leave at some point – and in midfield, the priority is again solidity, Jorginho chosen ahead of Fabio Vieiera and Kai Havertz.
Sevilla are unchanged following their 1-1 weekend home draw with Real Madrid. Arsenal, meanwhile, make one alteration: Takehiro Tomiyasu is in for Oleks Zinchenko.
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Righto, I’ll write these down and then we’ll discuss what they mean. Elsewhere, Galatasaray and Bayern Munich are level at 1-1 with 20 (+4,398) to go. If it stays like that, it’s poor news for Manchester United, who could use Bayern beating everyone.
Our teams
Sevilla (4-3-3): Nyland; Jesus Navas, Ramos, Gudelj, Acuña; Sow, Soumaré, Rakitic; Lukebakio, En-Nesyri, Ocampos. Subs: Dmitrovic, Gattoni, Pedrosa, Suso, Jordán, Rafa Mir, Mariano Díaz, Nianzou, Lamela, Óliver Torres, Badé, Juanlu.
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Jorginho, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli. Subs: Ramsdale, Hein, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Kiwior, Cedric, Trossard, Vieira, Nelson, Elneny, Havertz, Zinchenko.
Referee: Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
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Also for your delectation:
Preamble
Arsenal haven’t yet got going this season. This is a positive development.
Seriously, stick with me. Mikel Arteta’s men began the last campaign superbly and they needed to – a more sedate start, they don’t generate the confidence and momentum that fired their title challenge. Now, though, things are different. Arsenal no longer think they might get good, they’re certain they’re good already, so what matters at this point is staying in touch. It’s in the new year, when pressure ratchets up, that their needle really needs to hit the groove.
However defeat at Lens last time out makes tonight’s encounter a problem; lose, and they’re in serious danger of group-stage elimination. Still, they should have enough to get a result here, given Sevilla, 13th in La Liga, are hardly formidable opponents on the face of things. Football matches, though, are not played on the face of things, and regardless of how well their team are playing, the Sánchez Pizjuán is never not a formidable opponent – especially in Europe.
As such, this would be a good time for Arteta to hit upon his most coherent XI, because though his side now know they can beat the best, they’ve not yet done it away from home in the Champions League. So a win tonight would represent another important landmark passed and leave them on the verge of qualification for the knockout stages. before they’ve even got going this season. That too would be a positive development.
Kick-off: 9pm local, 8pm BST
