Ipswich suffer narrow defeat against Arsenal
Arsenal 1 - 0 Ipswich Town
Kai Havertz netted the decisive goal as Arsenal edged past Ipswich Town with a narrow 1-0 win, moving up to second in the Premier League table.
The German's seventh goal of the season proved crucial for the hosts, who were playing their first game without star winger Bukayo Saka, sidelined now for many weeks. The result handed Ipswich their fifth defeat in six matches.
Arsenal broke the deadlock midway through the first half when Havertz was perfectly positioned to slot home Leandro Trossard's pinpoint cross. Gabriel Magalhães squandered a chance to extend the lead, heading wide from a corner just after the hour mark. However, the Gunners comfortably managed their slim advantage to secure the win.
Mikel Arteta's team leapfrogged Chelsea and Nottingham Forest into second place, six points behind leaders Liverpool, who have played one game fewer. Meanwhile, Ipswich remain stuck in 19th, three points away from safety and 17th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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A closer look at what happened
Arsenal cruised to victory but their performance left plenty to be desired. Despite dominating possession early on, it took the Gunners 23 minutes to break through the visitors' stubborn defence. Kai Havertz was on hand to volley home from close range, giving Arsenal the lead.
Clear-cut chances were few and far between, with the next big opportunity coming after the break when Gabriel headed wide from a corner. As the match progressed, Arsenal began to find more openings, with Martin Ødegaard and Declan Rice both going close to doubling the advantage.
Substitute Mikel Merino and Ødegaard had further chances in the dying minutes, but the Gunners settled for a 1-0 win that stretched their unbeaten run to 11 games. Meanwhile, Ipswich, who failed to register a single shot on target, have now suffered five defeats in their last six matches.
Ipswich maybe had an opportunity to get a draw here. eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com You can watch the highlights by heading to the Arsenal YouTube account - youtu.be/iTpqU3Zj5qs?...
— SuperNewsAffiliate (@supernewsaffiliate.bsky.social) 28 December 2024 at 11:45
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Arsenal need to function without Saka
Arteta is well aware he doesn’t have a like-for-like replacement for the 23-year-old, and based on this performance, it may take time to find an effective solution in his absence as he faces an extended spell on the sidelines.
Gabriel Martinelli was tasked with filling the role of Arsenal’s right-sided winger after impressing in that position during the 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace following Saka’s injury. However, he struggled to make an impact this time, failing to register a shot, create a chance, or complete a single dribble.
The game’s decisive moment came from the left, with Leandro Trossard outpacing Ben Johnson and delivering a tantalising cross into the six-yard box, which Kai Havertz converted. Yet, Arsenal still directed most of their attacks down the right flank throughout the match.
Martinelli was not their only point of focus. Martin Ødegaard often provided support, and Arteta's front line displayed more fluidity than usual. Gabriel Jesus and Havertz frequently occupied the same flank and exchanged positions with one another until Jesus was substituted.
Though their movement caused some issues for Ipswich at times, Arsenal generally struggled to create openings, except for a period in the second half when they consistently tested the Ipswich goal.
A defiant and commendable defensive display from Ipswich
Marcus, an Ipswich fan from Greater Manchester, said: "There were some good moments, but we lacked that final killer pass. Every time we pushed forward, we seemed to be doing the right things but never made those sharp runs or, crucially, failed to pull the trigger. When we had the opportunity to threaten on the counter, hesitation held us back, and we never really troubled Arsenal."
"We showed them far too much respect and lacked the confidence to push forward with possession, seemingly afraid of making a mistake. It was a valiant effort, but you can’t hope to get a result if you don’t take your chances."
