Key events
“Arteta will say it doesn’t matter,” wrote Mary Waltz minutes ago. “The players will say it doesn’t enter their thinking. But the longer this stays scoreless this thought enters every Gunners mind. ‘Oh Gawd, it’s happening again, I can’t breathe!!!!’”
And then, not long after, Mary Waltz once again: “How to look like an idiot in a few sentences. What timing.”
HALF-TIME: Wolves 0-1 Arsenal
Three minutes are added on, three minutes pass without any real incident. Arsenal go into the break having looked slightly off it, but with the crucial lead.
GOAL! Wolves 0-1 Arsenal (Trossard 45)
And they’re back! Arsenal finally emerge with a goal, thanks to some fine work from Jesus and a sliced finish from Trossard. Havertz hangs the ball up into the box, Jesus takes it down well and briefly falls to the floor but shows tenacity to keep going amid Wolves pressure and lay it off to Trossard. The finish is a first-timer, thudded into the top right to give Arsenal fans, after a long week, something to smile about.
44 min: Kilman makes a fine interception from a low Saka cross.
43 min: Hwang does well to hold the ball up and play it down the line for Hugo Bueno to chase, who works in a cross from the left.
42 min: Traoré does well to steal the ball off Ødegaard; the Wolves midfielder has had a lively half.
41 min: Trossard gets back to do his defensive work, winning his side a goalkick after being sandwiched by two Wolves shirts.
39 min: Gabriel wins the ball by the halfway line but the defender can’t thread through a killer ball.
38 min: Saliba gets a clearance wrong, which Hugo Bueno chests down before launching at goal from distance … it travels wide. Loose, though, from the Arsenal centre-back.
37 min: Havertz is up and about, ready to return to the field.
35 min: A yellow card for Kilman after he gets his studs in on Havertz. The German forward is in quite a bit of pain as the game takes a breather. Declan Rice has also gone in the book, though I’ve missed why. Apologies all.
34 min: “Arteta is not a manager with a relaxing aura, and at their best his Arsenal are as taut as a bowstring,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Today their play has been a bit slack, with players taking half a second longer to make decisions, shots lacking power, and the pressing looking uncoordinated. Arteta may need to wind his team up at halftime.”
33 min: Ødegaard’s delivery is not deep enough, and Wolves handle it OK.
32 min: Now a yellow for Toti after he wraps his arms around Saka. Arsenal have a free-kick out on their right.
30 min: … Doyle whips it into the box but Arsenal hold the fort. The ball works its way back to J. Gomes out on the right … and he dances into the box, seizing upon some poor work from Kiwior, before launching his shot. Raya saves from close range, the ball rattling the post after his fingers!
29 min: A yellow card for Trossard after he pulls back João Gomes. Wolves have a tasty-looking free-kick out on the right …
27 min: Saka laces a cross in from the right but it’s cleared. Trossard, running in from the left, was the man trying to get on the end of it.
26 min: A missed opportunity for Arsenal. Rice creates it, receiving between the lines before lofting a ball for Saka to chase on to. But the left-footer just can’t set himself up for the decisive strike, and Wolves bodies camp themselves in front of the threats that follow.
24 min: Some neat touches between Hwang and Chirewa, and the latter shifts on to his right foot to strike from outside the box … it’s deflected and collected by Raya. Bright sparks for Wolves as we enter the second quarter.
22 min: Traoré ventures through the middle, playing a neat back-and-forth with Chirewa. That gets the crowd going for Wolves.
20 min: Jesus somehow finds himself at right back before Rice drives forward with intent. Jesus receives, now at right wing, before crossing in. There’s no head on the end of it, but they work it back, the move ending with a Rice shot that travels wide. Better play from Arsenal, but still lacking in the finish.
18 min: Wolves finally venture into Arsenal’s box, but there’s no danger to report.
16 min: After a couple of headers, the ball drops for Ødegaard to hit from the edge of the box … but the Wolves men around him do enough to halt any danger of a screamer. Arsenal are getting in the shots but lacking the venom.
15 min: Saka has the ball on the right, he cuts in … and plays it to Rice on the edge, who passes to Trossard in the box. The left winger retreats back to the central midfielder, who fires a low shot. No bother for Sá, who collects with comfort.
13 min: Wolves have a sustained period on the ball, and so it becomes Arsenal’s turn to hassle away.
10 min: Trossard does well to take on Doherty on the left and get a cross in … Saka’s header is safely collected by Sá.
9 min: Saka is forced back after Toti presses on to him, with Arsenal forced to make a move from the other wing. Wolves are holding a neat defensive shape.
7 min: Arsenal get a hold of it and work things nicely around the back before Trossard’s through ball to Jesus turns wonky.
4 min: Jesus lines up a shot from the edge of the box after a neat one-two with Havertz … but he scuffs it well wide. Paul – see below – has just taken a sip.
3 min: “Super worried,” writes Paul. “Arsenal gotta finish. otherwise i may finish a bottle of whisky.” It’s been three minutes, Paul.
2 min: Toti crunches into Saka, the Wolves man making himself known out on Arsenal’s right-hand side.
1 min: Arsenal are straight on it; Kiwior crosses in from the left, it’s deflected and Havertz hooks a shot at goal. Sá is up to the task.
Peep!
And we’re off, both sides decked out in their home kits. Wolves kick off, going from right to left.
Oh, Wolves have a 15-year-old on the bench: Wesley Okoduwa. Born in May 2008, says Transfermarkt. Yes, you may feel old.
Wolves, by the way, have Hwang Hee-chan starting in the league for the first time since a 1-0 win over Sheffield United in February. He’s got 10 Prem goals this season and will have to help out young Tawanda Chirewa, making his first league start since … well, ever. Best wishes to the 20-year-old.
Takehiro Tomiyasu picked up a knock against Bayern, Mikel Arteta tells Sky. The Arsenal manager sounds pretty relaxed; despite back-to-back losses, victory tonight will take them to the top of the league. So, you know, they’re not exactly in freefall … yet.
There has, I must report, been a goal at Wembley.
Here’s the full picture for you.
Wolves: Sá, S. Bueno, Kilman, Toti Gomes, Doherty,
Traoré, João Gomes, H. Bueno, Chirewa, Doyle, Hwang
Subs: Holman, Aït-Nouri, Lemina, Sarabia, Bentley, Barnett,
Okoduwa, Fraser, Ojinnaka
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Ødegaard, Rice,
Havertz, Saka, Jesus, Trossard
Subs: Ramsdale, Partey, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Nketiah, Jorginho, Vieira, Nelson,
Zinchenko
Referee: Paul Tierney
The teams
Here come the lineups …
🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
🇵🇱 Kiwior starts at left-back
🇧🇪 Trossard on the wing
🇧🇷 Jesus up topLet’s give it our all, Gunners 💪 pic.twitter.com/BoEye0rUj6
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 20, 2024
Preamble
Now then, Arsenal fans, do you still believe? It’s been a tough few days hasn’t it? First, that loss to Aston Villa at home. Then defeat to Bayern Munich – featuring those Spurs old boys – ending the dream of European glory in their own city. Can Wolves make life even worse? Or will this be the character-showing, battling victory at Molineux that reignites their run for the title? We shall see; your guess is as good as mine. Kick-off’s at 7.30pm BST.
Drop me your thoughts, worries, queries, advice on how to deal with my neighbour who keeps playing the Superman theme on their trumpet. Whatever you fancy.
