Alternately agonizing and exhilarating, this was an instant classic of a game. The defenses did not cover themselves in glory. Leicester was uncharacteristically open in the second half, even with a lead; they seemed to invite danger. We were doing the same thing, but it's familiar from us, and we were behind more than they were. Lacazette's opening header was perfect--what a start. He was fine throughout the game, I thought. The equalizer I blame on Cech, though he didn't give the ball away to start the move. What was he doing chasing that cross? He took himself out of position. Monreal got bullied; size is his weakness at center forward. (Gotta say, Koscielny would have made a huge difference.) Leicester's second, off another giveaway, was a perfect cross to Vardy. Welbeck's goal at the end of the first half looked weird, but it as no more than the Gunners deserved after making a large number of chances.
Two handball non-decisions were a factor, but one went each way, so no complaints here. I liked the way the game was called. The tackles flew in, but the whistle usually didn't blow and I can remember just one yellow card all game.
Vardy's second, a free header off a corner, was a gut punch. Hello, Steve Bould! You there? Arsenal made chance after chance. Ozil had a particularly poor game, but Xhaka was right up there with him. With time running out, our two subs managed to get on the scoresheet, with Ramsey managing not to lash his shot straight at Schmeichel, and Giroud fighting off two defenders to head strongly off the underside of the crossbar and just across the line.
More later, but I'm spent.
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