Arsenal looked to avenge their meltdown against Liverpool, away to the reigning champions, Leicester City. Defender Laurent Koscielny returned to the team as captain, in order to stabilize the Gunner’s shaky defense, which he did in a MOTM performance. This match was always going to be a cautious affair, with both sides coming off opening day defeats. In the end, it ended 0-0 with few chances at either end.
The game started with Leicester starting quick. Some pressure from Vardy resulted in an early corner but nothing came of it. After about 10 minutes Arsenal settled into their usual possession. The Gunners swung the ball from side to side attempting to break down a solid Leicester side, who remained solid in their two banks of four.
The first chance of the match came when Bellerin got to the touch-line and attempted to cut the ball back for Walcott, but it was smartly intercepted by Wes Morgan. Shortly after that Coquelin was booked in the 23rd minute for a late tackle on Jaime Vardy in the middle of the park. A couple of minutes after that, Arsenal were on the attack again. Oxlade Chamberlin, who looked the most dangerous of the visiting side’s attackers, drove down the left side, cut in on his right and curled one just past the far post. Arsenal’s best chance of the half came in the 33rd minute, when a Cazorla free-kick from the left side was curling into the far post, but it was well saved by Schmeichel.
From this point on, Leicester grew into the match. In the 42nd Leicester had a penalty shout. The move started with a sublime ball from Mahrez through to Vardy, but Cech was quick off his line to prevent the ball from reaching the Englishmen; it then fell to Drinkwater who attempted to skip over a slide tackle from Koscienly, the Arsenal skipper. The referee was right on hand and waved away the home sides appeals. Overall, both teams played a solid but not exceptional half of football.
The second-half started similar to the first. Mendy who suffered an ankle injury, had to be substituted for Andy King, just two minutes later, Mahrez whizzed a free kick over the bar.
Wenger made a double change later on in the second-half – Ozil on for Cazorla and Wilshere for Xhaka. Ozil had an immediate impact creating two or three half chances in quick succession. In the 77th, Oxlade Chamberlin made way for Giroud, and the system seemed to change to a 4-4-2. In the 80th, Walcott was put through on goal, only to be denied by an excellent tackle by Morgan. The final 10 minutes became a very open affair.
Towards the end of the game, Musa was brought on for Albirghton, and made an immediate impact, running at Bellerin, and gave Leicester their second penalty shout of the match. This one seemed more substantial than the first, but still was not given. In the last play of the game, Holding fouled Mahrez on the edge of the area and was booked. Drinkwater fired into the wall and the full time whistle blew.
The second-half was increasingly open with both sides getting chances at either end. Leicester looked the more likely, especially in the last 10 minutes to get a winner, but the Gunners held out for a 0-0 draw. Wenger’s men have Watford away next.
