Good win against a team who have proven to be a bogey side - 3 losses and 2 draws in our previous 5 meetings against them. We also hadn't beaten them at The Amex since they've been promoted, so this was an important result, especially building off the Chelsea victory.
Thought we were fortunate to go into half time level. Passing was sloppy, lacked any incisive movement, didn't really probe them much, kept playing very conservatively...big difference in the second half where we could have scored 3 goals in the opening 10 minutes. Auba and Martinelli both missed chances you'd expect players of that calibre to score, but it didn't matter in the end. Saka with a lovely mazy run and cut back to Laca, who finished expertly.
We defended very well after that. Holding and Mari dealt with everything that came their way, Tierney was sturdy, Bellerin was much improved second half.
The Xhaka-Elneny axis doesn't quite cut it for me, and I thought Bissouma bossed them for the most part in the middle of the park. But thankfully, we should have Partey back soon and we're (fingers crossed) looking at getting a creative midfielder in January.
Special shoutout to Smith-Rowe and Saka, who were brilliant again today. Martinelli too, whose energy and pressing was great.
Didn't think Auba had a good game and I'm concerned with the chances he missed - he would have buried them a few months ago.
Nonetheless, an important away win and a clean sheet to round off the year - can't complain too much with hat.
