HAIRY HALLOWEEN
Guendouzi red takes gloss off Smith Rowe show
Much like his frizzy- haired lookalike David Luiz, Arsenal’s young midfielder Matteo Guendouzi demands attention. he is a player of true promise, who stamps his personality all over a football match.
Yet Guendouzi is 19 and veers from the sublime to the absurd at a moment’s notice. This was the case on a halloween night that seemed to be going swimmingly for the Frenchman. As Arsenal laboured for a breakthrough, Guendouzi seized the initiative, picking the lock with a delightful pass to create Stephan Lichtsteiner’s opener.
Yet after Emile Smith Rowe doubled Arsenal’s advantage shortly after the interval, Guendouzi’s impetuous streak complicated his side’s task.
having been booked for a hack at Jordan Thompson in the first half, Guendouzi needlessly placed his hands across the path of the same player as the Blackpool midfielder pursued a flick-on.
he will miss the weekend clash against Liverpool. Emery said: ‘In the dressing room, we said about control. But Matteo plays with the spirit I want in every match.’
After the red card, Blackpool turned up the heat and Emery felt compelled to introduce his safety net in Lucas Torreira. Even the uruguayan did not stabilise Emery’s side, as Paudie O’connor rose at a set-piece to half the deficit on 66 minutes. O’connor had previously hit the bar and Blackpool nearly equalised moments later as Petr cech’s discomfort in possession returned.
he was dispossessed by Jay Spearing in his own penalty area, only to be spared by an offside flag as the ball fell to Nathan Delfouneso in front of goal.
Blackpool continued to threaten, pressing a jittery cech at every opportunity. Yet their goal scorer O’connor then let Arsenal off the hook, lunging in high on PierreEmerick Aubameyang and receiving the second red card of the game. Manager Ter r y McPhillips said: ‘Where we e play it’s a yellow. w. I couldn’t believe eve it when pulled d out red. We threatened atened them more than han they threatened us.’
It was a fair assessment. Much of Arsenal’s display was as ordinary as anything we have seen under their new manager.
Perhaps a little tuning was always to be expected after Emery made nine changes from the draw against crystal Palace on Sunday.
A generous home tie against third- tier opposition allowed Emery to blood the young defender Julio Pleguezuelo and the bright midfield pair of Guendouzi and Smith Rowe. carl Jenkinson, one of the remaining waifs and strays of the Arsene Wenger era, made his first appearance in 701 days. he struggled o on his return a and was not th the only one. un until Lichtstei tsteiner broke the deadlo deadlock on 33 minutes, utes, Ars Arsenal did not record a shot on target. Blackpool started with greater menace, creating a series of halfchances. Liam Feeney’s teasing ball needed a smart clearance as defender Ben heneghan closed in. Delfouneso deceived a flat-footed Shkodran Mustafi, who required a rescue act by Lichtsteiner. Yet Arsenal’s class emerged. Guendouzi was afforded time and space 30 yards from goal. The Frenchman glanced up and clipped a pass that deceived the Blackpool defence and Lichtsteiner dived in and poked out a leg to wrong-foot goalkeeper Mark howard. Arsenal moved through the gears. Welbeck’s curling cross located Aaron Ramsey, who stabbed over and Jenkinson’s cross was flapped into the path of Smith Rowe to double the advantage. Yet Guendouzi then intervened and in the end Arsenal were fortunate to survive. ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Cech 5.5; Lichtsteiner 6.5, Mustafi 5.5, Pleguezuelo 6, Jenkinson 5.5; Maitland-Niles 6 (Torreira 60min, 6), Guendouzi 6.5; Ramsey 6, Smith-Rowe 6 (Iwobi 73, 6), Mkhitaryan 5.5; Welbeck 6 (Aubameyang 76). Subs not used: Holding, Martinez, Nketiah, Willock. Scorers: Lichtsteiner 33, Smith-Rowe 50. Booked: Guendouzi, Jenkinson. Sent off: Guendouzi. Manager: Unai Emery 6. BLACKPOOL (4-2-3-1): Howard 6.5; Bola 6, O’Connor 7.5, Heneghan 7, Nottingham 7 (Pritchard 65, 6); Turton 6, Spearing 6; Feeney 7 (Cullen 79), Guy 6 (O’Sullivan 86), Thompson 6; Delfouneso 6. Subs not used: Dodoo, McLaughlin, Taylor, Mafoumbi. Scorer: O’Connor 66. Booked: Thompson. Sent off: O’Connor. Manager: Terry McPhillips 7. Referee: David Coote 6. Attendance: 48,168.