please log in to view this image Venue: Vale Park Date: Wednesday 24th September 2025 KO time: 20:00 BST Overall Record Wins: 13 Losses: 4 Draws: 5 Last six meetings Port Vale 1-1 Arsenal (FA Cup - Arsenal win 4-3 on penalties) Arsenal 0-0 Port Vale (FA Cup - game goes to a replay) Arsenal 1-0 Port Vale (FA Cup) Port Vale 2-2 Arsenal (FA Cup - game goes to a replay) Arsenal 0-0 Port Vale Port Vale 2-3 Arsenal please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Saliba and Saka starting isn't a surprise given their need for match sharpness. Surprised to see Eze starting, though. Martinelli as a 9 will be interesting. Very strong bench also.
Martinelli at 9 is our best option IMO. I have said for some time it’s his natural position. Havertz the best as a false 9
0-1. Eze with his first goal for Arsenal. The ball gets worked to Martinelli, who plays it into Lewis Skelly's path, he dummies it and Eze is there to slot home with a tidy side footed finish.
Nwaneri goes close after some good interplay between Saka and White, but it takes a deflection off the Port Vale defender.
Some nice triangle passes and we cut through their defence, Eze is through on goal and should score, but he hits it onto the onrushing goalkeeper. We've been dominant with 80% possession but haven't exactly been peppering them like we probably should be.
HT. 0-1. After a promising start where we could have scored 2 or 3, the game was too comfortable for them when we we in possession. We were dominant without testing their goalkeeper that much. Eze should have made it 2-0, and Nwaneri had a good chance that got deflected wide, but aside from that, considering how much of the ball we've had, I can't say we've capitalised on our dominance and Port Vale will be very happy to only be 1 goal down. Merino is apparently playing as a 9, but I've not noticed him all game. He may as well not be on the pitch. We need to be far more ruthless in the second half.
Some decent play and movement. Really don't know why Merino did not shoot for he chance that was developed down the right. I chuckle at how good Saka is - must have the upper body strength of 10 men.
FT. 0-2. A below average performance in the end that won't be giving anyone much confidence going into the Newcastle fixture, but we're through to the next round. When Eze scored the opener, I thought it was going to be a rout because the first 15-20 minutes, we were playing some slick stuff and there were some great movement between the attack and midfield. After that, it ended up being played at snail's pace. I'm hoping it was intentional because we didn't want to go full pelt/risk injuries with Newcastle on the weekend, but I guess we will see. It didn't seem like we were that up for it, though. 80% possession, 11 shots, 4 on target, 31 touches in the opposition box. Just goes to show that we weren't (intentionally or not) piercing their defence or really going for the kill. Dowman had a bright cameo, Trossard did well, Eze had a decent game, Nwaneri looked good, the defence was OK. Not a game that will last long in the memory.
I was disappointed to see Martinelli out wide having thought he was starting centrally. Enjoyed Dowman's cameo - which could have led to a goal. Frustrated with our players general lack of positivity though - just too many times taking the safe option.
Really? I thought it was a pretty dull affair for the most part lol. Wasn't much to enjoy apart from Nwaneri, Eze and Dowman's cameo.
Considering we are Premier League title contenders and we played a team in the EFL League One off the back of some disappointing performances where we were too defensive, I thought we were ****e in this game. I'm not sure what flavour Kool Aid Arteta is drinking but he needs to stop, we are so defensive its a joke ! Their keeper had to make 2 bloody saves ! Martinelli was punted out wide and was back to his usual useless self, at this point I can't blame him, he came on in the last 2 games in the middle to devastating effect, so Arteta the tactical don plays him out wide, where he has been **** for 2 seasons. I was hoping to see more creativity with Eze and Nwaneri on the pitch but I saw nothing. Its as if Arteta has told Nwaneri to be more like Odegaard, all he did was sideways and backwards passing, where is the Nwaneri who got the ball and attacked, last season ?! Why the hell would you play Merino up top ?! On at least 2 occasions he came back to the back 4 to pick up the ball - our ****ing CF !! What the rass !! We had an xG of 0.98 vs Port Vale, 0.98 !!! And that includes the goal and the Eze shot that hit the keeper from close range.
It did seem like we were intentionally playing at snail's pace to avoid injury or risk ahead of the Newcastle game this weekend. We were passing the ball backwards and sideways a lot even under no pressure from the opposition. Obviously time will tell whether that was the case or not, but can't help but feel a number of the players were playing with that match in mind. I agree that it was frustrating to see Merino up front and Martinelli out wide, would have been nice to see what Martinelli could do closer to goal. Also, Merino had so few touches and was barely noticeable in the game anyway. Unfortunately, regardless of whether I'm right or not, the performance will do nothing to put away any doubts about whether Arteta's methods benefit us from a creative/attacking standpoint...
Mildly worrying that Merino came off, as if we were resting him for Sunday. If I see Merino, Zubi and Rice on that starting XI again then this season can already **** off.
