Tough test for Tierney as Wolves are tamed
wolves 0 arsenal 2 Saka (43), Lacazette (86)
Kieran Tierney had a mixed night of it in the EPL’S tea-time kick-off where the Gunners gave their European ambitions a shot in the arm.
The Scotland internationalist played a leading part in his side’s opening goal but then was substituted by manager Mikel Arteta soon after.
Impressive in the Gunners’ demolition of Norwich City during the week, the 23-year-old retained his starting place for his much tougher test.
Wolves went into the game having not only won all their matches since the resumption of the 2019-20 season but also not having conceded a single goal.
For Tierney, there was the daunting prospect of having to go up against Adama Traore. Lightning quick and boasting the physique of a rugby league professional, the Spaniard cuts a formidable figure on the football pitch.
By the time the Scot was withdrawn to make way for Ashley Maitland-niles, he had beaten him a couple of times down Arsenal’s left and generally made a nuisance of himself.
To be fair to Tierney, he won a couple too and was not the only one to find him a handful, with David Luiz earning a yellow card for stopping him by any means necessary.
Crucially too, the Scot had played a big part in the breakthrough at the other end of the pitch.
Collecting a flick from Pierre-emerick Aubameyang on the run at edge of the box, he fired a first-time cross back towards the striker, who had darted forwards in anticipation of the return.
A touch from Matt Doherty deflected it from his target but inadvertently helped Tierney and Arsenal by pushing it a couple of yards back to Bukayo Saka.
Unmarked, the 18-year-old had time and space on his side and he curled a waist-high half-volley into the corner of the net for his first Premier League goal.
It was a great goal and, if not wholly deserved by the visitors, it was exactly what the game needed. Before then, both sides had huffed and puffed to no great effect.
Arteta gave Eddie Nketiah a start ahead of Alexandre Lacazette, more of him later, and the younger man looked sharp in his attempt to justify the selection.
Latching on to a deflection that fell into his path, he hammered a shot in on goal which Rui Patricio did really well to turn onto the post. It was to be as close as he got.
With time ticking on and the home side pushing for an equaliser – Traore was guilty of missing a pinch when finding himself clean through – Arteta turned to his bench.
Off came Nketiah and on went Lacazette.
The latter is nothing if not street wise and he will have been all too aware that, since the clubs have returned, defence have looked especially vulnerable in the last few minutes of games.
So it proved again with Wolves losing track of Lacazette on the left in a late Arsenal attack.
The angle was tight but he wasn’t going to miss and drove low and into the far corner.
After that, it was all over, with even the previously vocal dugouts seeming to accept this was dead as a contest.
For Arsenal and Tierney that meant thought turning to Tuesday and the small matter of a tussle with a Leicester City managed by former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers.