VAR takes centre stage in every sense as Arsenal somehow take the points at Elland Road

Leeds United 0 Arsenal 1 
Premier League 
Sunday 16th October 2022 2pm   

Three points are three points. But every three points tells a story, and this one was a drama alright. Arsenal may have increased their lead at the top of the league after Manchester City’s defeat at Liverpool, but there is no debate they rode their luck heavily in a difficult fixture at Elland Road. It’s hard to believe Leeds had only eight points on the board coming into this match, given how much difficulty they caused the Gunners after the interval.

Mind you it took a while to get there. Some kind of technical issue with VAR and goal-line technology became apparent about a minute after kick off. It took an age to be resolved, but 40 minutes later, with the teams having spent a good while back in the dressing room, the game finally re-started. Arsenal were fielding the same eleven as beat Liverpool the previous weekend, with the two-footed Tomiyasu retained at left back.

It was a fairly even first half, going on the chances created, with Leeds’ Sinisterra a constant source of danger. His team were tenacious and hard working. Nonetheless, Arsenal could easily have gone a goal up after 20 minutes when Odegaard put the ball to Jesus who had a clear shot close in from the angle, but managed to shoot wide. 

Still, we only had to wait another 14 minutes to see a much better attempt from wide – and an astonishing goal from Bukayo Saka. The move began with Leeds’ Rodrigo playing a Hollywood ball across his own half – the kind of thing Granit Xhaka used to do. It fell to Saka who got the ball to Odegaard, who in turn teed up Saka, wide of the goal, with the angle for a shot very narrow. The sheer power and accuracy of Saka’s effort made it unstoppable, in spite of the degree of difficulty. These invariably hit the side netting. 

It was an even half, but one in which Arsenal made the best of their chances. Leeds put on Patrick Bamford for the second half, and it’s fair to say he was central to the events in the remainder of the game. To start with, he had the ball in the net, but was adjudged to have fouled Gabriel to create the room for his shot. Arsenal sometimes start the second half a little slowly and this felt a little too familiar in that respect. Not long after Bamford again had a clean shot that was saved by Ramsdale in a place that, well when they say you can use every part of your body, this was surefire evidence of that. Hopefully Ramsdale’s ability to father children will not be adversely affected by keeping his team ahead in this instance.

It looked like the pressure would eventually tell, as after an hour an unfortunate Saliba handball resulted in a penalty kick and what felt like a harsh yellow card. Technically, well, I can’t keep up with the law changes for handball and think they may even be different depending on whose competition it is. But the ball hit Saliba’s arm – inadvertently for sure – and it changed the course of its path. So yes, a penalty. Bamford stepped up to take it and put it wide as Ramsdale guessed the right way. It was feeling like the Alamo in the Arsenal penalty area, with Bamford not the only player to have chances going begging. 

Xhaka went down for an injury and Arteta had time with the other nine outfield players to try and stem the flow. Not that it had much impact. Subs followed. Vieira for Odegaard, then Tierney for White, and later Holding for Saka finally saw a back five, with Nketiah on for Jesus to chase lost causes. Leeds just kept coming, and Arsenal attacks became a bit of a collector’s item. 

During what was initially six minutes of injury time. Bamford charged into Gabriel, going after a ball that was long gone. The Brazilian ended up on the floor and stuck a leg at the Leeds’ forward’s midriff. Not sure how much contact he made, but Bamford was not going to spurn such an invitation to take advantage. Referee Chris Kavanagh decided it was a penalty and a red card for Gabriel, although as at the start of the game, VAR came into sharp focus, only this time the plug was in and the ref took a look at the monitor. If Bamford had been Harry Kane, the decision would have stood. Fortunately he isn’t and sense was seen. Bamford barged Gabriel over, the kick out by the latter was foolish but really made minimal contact if any, and the card was downgraded to a yellow, as well as the penalty switched to an Arsenal free kick. 

The bottom line though is that Arsenal indiscipline almost did for them at the death of this game. Gabriel does have hothead tendencies and needs to rein them in. 

It was ironic that VAR came to the rescue after Gooners on social media were telling them to just get on with the game during the 40 minute break at the start and do without it, given it’s the same for both sides. Hmmmm. 

A side with more clinical finishers would have probably seen Arsenal beaten in this match. They were not that dominant in the first half, aside from possession, but the second half was pretty much all Leeds. Perhaps a case of the harder I work, the luckier I get. 

No matter. Arsenal got through it. In recent seasons they would probably have folded. They did what they could to break up Leeds’ momentum with the kind of cynical stoppages to delay play that are certainly ugly, but ultimately effective. If you end up being dominated, and can still win the game, albeit with large slices of luck, you take it and say thank you. Onto the next one and work out where it went wrong. The reality is that most of the players that played at Elland Road made the trip to Norway in midweek, with a number of them playing. Leeds had a much easier time and it’s logical that the second half would be the time that extra freshness told. 

It may not have been a deserved victory, but winning teams seem to enjoy luck. And the phrase ‘lucky Arsenal’ is something I want to hear a bit more often once again. This was never going to be a straightforward ‘just turn up and take the points’ kind of game. Leeds are better than that – especially at home. They rattled Arteta’s players, no question. But ultimately Bukayo Saka was the one that was able to convert his chance, and that made the difference. Quality in front of goal told, because there is no escaping that Leeds had the better chances.

Liverpool’s subsequent win over Manchester City ensured Arsenal’s 2003-04 Invincibles status remains untouched for another season, so a good day all round for Gooners, albeit at times a stressful one.

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