Key events
Mousinho reckons it was a contest for 65 minutes, but the better side won. Pompey’s goal came from an aggressive press and his team worked it well after that, but the defending at set-pieces wasn’t good enough. His players can take heart from how they played, but the injuries they’ve suffered are a problem for a thin squad.
Arteta was quite calm today, but this was a match his side were never likely to lose. Whether he can maintain that equilibrium as things get tighter remains to be seen – the manic energy we’ve felt from him in the past can’t have done his players any favours.
Arteta looks extremely happy as he comes to conduct his post-match interview, laughing that his team started exactly as they didn’t want to. But he’s happy he was able to change 10 players and win, whole Martinelli’s hat-trick and Salmon’s debut are also positives.
At half-time, he altered the structure so Arsenal could play through the press then, prompted by Martin Keown, explains how important Havertz is. But that’s so of all the players, they’re all involved, and all feel part of things. Some players need a bit more training than others, so it’s a thin line, but they’re trying to make sure everyone as what they need to be ready.
Finally, he praises how Arne Slot handled the Martinelli/Bradley situation, saying he knows the game so knew no ill was intended, then off he pops.
Our next live match comes from Old Trafford, where Darren Fletcher’s Man United take on Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton. Contests between these two sides tend to be exciting, and Rob Smyth will be bringing it to you.
Next for Arteta’s team comes a trip to Chelsea for the first leg of the League Cup semi. That should be tasty, in any event but also because it’s Liam Rosenior’s first home game as manager. I’m looking forward to seeing how he sets his team up – my guess is he’ll target whoever plays left-back for Arsenal, and looks to get men around Zubiendi, who isn’t as physical as some.
I don’t think we can learn that much about Arsenal from what we saw today, but their second-string attackers looks sharp – which is what competition for places can do. They know that Saka is a lock for the right-wing position, but the spots on the left and through the middle are, as they say, up for grabs now, to any of the various able to assert themselves. My sense is that Arteta soon settles on Havertz at centre-forward, but if Jesus or Gyokeres start scoring, they can make it theirs.
Scores from elsewhere:
Hull 0-0 Blackburn
Norwich City 4-0 Walsall
Sheffield United 3-4 Mansfield Town
Swansea 1-1 West Brom
West Ham 1-0 QPR
We’re at the 66-70 minute mark in the top four matches, with almost an hour gone at West Ham.
FULL-TIME: Portsmouth 1-4 Arsenal
For about 50 minutes, this was a terrific contest, but class eventually told and Arsenal remain in the hunt for all four major trophies.
90+3 min Odegaard crosses, Havertz chests down and swivels into a shot in search of what’d be a crucial goal for his mental state, but Ogilvie gets low to block.
90+1 min Portsmouth need to take the energy and endeavour of this performance and apply it in every Championship fixture; if they do, their relegation fears will soon dissipate.
90 min We’ll have three additional minutes.
90 min Ball into Odegaard, who finds Havertz through the middle, and his backheel finds Madueke, but the resultant cross is headed clear.
89 min Madueke slows down Williams, does him on the outside, there’s a coming together that knocks him off his feet … but it’s not enough for another penalty.
87 min A look at the score suggests this has been easy for Arsenal, but that’s not the case – Portsmouth have made them work hard, and if they could only defend set-pieces – easier said than done – things might’ve gone differently. Arteta’s men, though, don’t believe they can lose matches of this ilk, and after falling behind they retained composure then did what they do.
85 min Eze swings to the near post, Poole leaping amid a phalanx of bodies to head behind, then Bishop and Chaplin combine to clear the second delivery.
83 min Oh man, Umeh chases a ball down the channel and his hamstring goes. He’s had trouble of this ilk before, and you feel for him; Pompey having used their five changes, are consequently down to 10. Meantime, Devlin blocks a Havertz shot at cost of a corner.
82 min Off goes Martinelli who, after the whole Conor Bradley kerfuffle, has had quite a few days; Zubimendi replaces him.
81 min Anditdontstop. Rob Smyth is on-hand for Manchester United v Brighton, which kicks off in 50 minutes.
80 min Elsewhere, Mansfield of League One lead 3-1 at Sheffield United of the Championship.
78 min “I think Gazza’s peak was the first couple of years at Lazio,” returns Niall Mullen.” “I never saw an English player with that level of skill and ability to dominate a game in the toughest league there maybe ever was. He burned brightly but briefly obviously.”
I dunno, Gazza only played 43 times for Lazio, in three years. I don’t think I can award best-ever status for so small a body of work.
76 min Another change for Arsenal, the 16-year-old Marli Salmon becoming the youngest player to represent arsenal in the FA Cup. What a feeling that must be for him and his family.
74 min Arsenal’s set-piece prowess is surely a self-fulfilling prophesy. Opponents know there’s something coming, the players have got good at taking their time to up the anticipation, and when the execution is good, it’s pretty difficult to do much about it.
GOAL! Portsmouth 1-4 Arsenal (Martinelli 72)
Another vicious corner from Madueke, Martinelli leaping at the near post to flick in his hat-trick goal – it’s the first of his career – and though Bursic might’ve saved it, he could only help it into the net.
71 min Havertz is back into it right away, sending Madueke away, and he slows Poole down, speeds up to work a shooting lane then, from a tight angle, shoots low and hard, Bursic’s save earning Arsenal another corner.
69 min A triple change for Arsenal, Timber, Odegaard and Havertz replacing White, Nwaneri and Jesus. Decent options to have in reserve.
68 min Again, Segecic wriggles away from a challenge then cuts across White, who fouls him and is booked.
66 min Eze looks to feed a ball through the centre for Jesus, but Poole does well to intercede. Meantime Mark Dawson emails thusly: “Everyone loves Gazza, but he’s not even the best midfielder to play for Spurs (in my 54 years watching). Hoddle stands supreme. I’d also rate Le Tiss over Gazza. But probably still Robbo over all.”
Le Tiss was brilliant, I agree, but I’ve never seen the combination of power, touch and imagination that Gazza brought to things. He’d be as brilliant today, whereas I think Hoddle – and Le Tiss – would have to adjust to the physicality.
65 min Segecic megs White out on the left, so White shoves him over by way of punishment for his effrontery; Segecic then curls in a decent free-kick, headed away well by Merino.
63 min Zachary Roth adds Christian Norgaard to the list of religious names; similarly, Eberechi means “God’s mercy” in Igbo.
62 min Changes for Portsmouth, Le Roux and Shaughnessy going off with Pack and Ogilvie coming on.
61 min Now Portsmouth move forward down the right, White opting to take no chances with a searching cross, helping it behind; the resultant corner comes to nothing.
60 min Arsenal win another corner, this time down the right, Madueke with it, and Portsmouth clear at the near post.
59 min And for balance:
58 min “Captain Marvel was exceptional,” reckons Niall Mullen, “but at his peak I’d say Gazza was the best English midfielder (and player) in my 43 years of watching football.”
Gazza was special and unique, but when was that peak? Was Spurs’ 1991 FA Cup run enough? Incidentally, Gazza rates Robson as the best player he encountered.
57 min Nice from Arsenal, White into Madueke who, inside the box, plays a little ball to Nwaneri, follows the flicked return … and is crowded out.
56 min Nwaneri, who’s been quiet so far, veers through midfield, Le Roux moves in for the kill, fouls him, and is booked.
55 min Portsmouth are still going after this and, though you feat for them as gaps appear, they may as well lose by a couple more trying to get back into the match.
