Thomas Comes To The Partey

Merciless Arsenal blew Chelsea away last night in a dominant performance that put their opponents firmly in their place; and put Liverpool and Manchester City on notice that Arsenal are not going away quietly. 

5-0 frankly understated the difference in class between a rampant Arsenal side, who have rediscovered their mojo following a difficult week, and a Chelsea side who, despite having spent obscene amounts of money over the past year or so, look many years away from being able to challenge for honours once more. But compare and contrast their FA Cup semi-final performance against Manchester City over the weekend - when they can probably count themselves as unlucky not to have gone through - to the manner in which Arsenal blew them away. And that surely cannot all be done to the fortuitous loss of Cole Palmer - by far away their best player - for this game due to illness.

Martin Odegaard will take most of the headlines. He produced a standout performance, leading by example; not merely showcasing his sublime skills and effortlessly linking the play, but once more leading the press, and constantly probing and pressing for weak spots in the Chelsea back line. Declan Rice, playing in the left 8 role, put in a typical ‘mere’ 8 out of 10 performance, but I’d like to specifically highlight the return of Thomas Partey to the starting XI and the fillip it gave to his team-mates.

The Ghanaian had looked a little off the pace in the few cameo performances that he’d been allowed by Mikel Arteta since his belated return from injury, but it was worth the wait. The perfect time for Arteta to drop him back in. He was everywhere - reading the play, putting in decisive tackles, making telling interceptions and producing his trademark vertical passes to the front 5. I’ve got nothing whatsoever against Jorginho, who can always been relied upon, but for me a fit and firing Partey adds an extra dimension to Arsenal’s play, and his return could not be more timely. 

I’d mentioned in this blog a number of times earlier this season how much I had been looking forward to seeing a midfield trio of Partey, Rice and Odegaard in unison. For me, the security that Partey’s presence gives will enable both Rice and Odegaard to express themselves fully. The trio made the Chelsea midfield of Enzo, Caicedo and Gallagher - the first two named having cost Chelsea almost a quarter of a billion pounds in total! - look second rate. I had felt that Partey could give Arsenal an extra dimension, and the proof that I was correct was right there in front of our eyes.

Elsewhere, I’ll pick out a few other top performances. Leandro Trossard kept his starting spot over both Jesus and Martinelli, and did Trossard things; namely scoring yet again! That’s 10 in the league now. An early goal is always good for the nerves, of course. 

  

Ben White had a superb game, not only doing well in defence, but continually supporting Odegaard and Saka and reaping his rewards with not just one, but two goals! The first a clever finish having made space for himself following a corner and the second… well, he’ll probably admit that he didn’t mean to find the far corner of the net with a lobbed effort; but who gives a monkey’s?

And Kai Havertz showed Chelsea what a happy and trusted Kai Havertz is capable of; leading the line well, linking with all around him and scoring two lovely goals. The first courtesy of a sublime through ball from Martin Odegaard (although he still had plenty to do) and the second following a clever wrong-footing of his marker before doing the same to the goalkeeper.

 

I love, by the way, that the official Chelsea Twitter feed couldn’t bring themselves to type the word ‘Havertz’. Salty…

I am, however, also going to have to point out a few things that didn’t go perfectly. It wasn’t all plain sailing. Firstly, after their fast start - when they ought to have already been out of sight at 2-0 or even 3-0 - Arsenal did let Chelsea back into the game for a while. Decent chances - better than half chances in fact - fell to Disasi and Jackson (twice). However, as any follower of the Premier League knows, Jackson couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo (so to speak). A winger who Poch has tried to convert to a centre forward; and it certainty hasn’t shown much sign of working so far. That Jackson was still on the field following a nasty challenge on Tomiyasu is something to ask the VAR, though.

Secondly, the afore-mentioned Jackson did at one point completely outpace William Saliba. Which was/is a concern. This is something we’re not used to seeing, and I for one don’t want to ever see it again. Fortunately, Gabriel dealt with the danger… just about. 

And as far as any other concerns we may have had… well, there weren’t any. A fast start to the second half soon put Arsenal - 1-0 ahead at the break - out of sight. Chelsea had no answer whatsoever, frankly looked to have given up any sort of hope at 2-0, and at the end 5-0 almost flattered them. I think that we were all aware that they’re not very good, but there’s always that nagging doubt prior to any game. Thankfully, we could soon relax and stop worrying.

The matches are coming thick and fast now. Liverpool and City still to play in this round of matches as I type, but now 3 and 4 points behind respectively. So the pressure is sure to be on them. It’s always better to play first. 

But Arsenal’s biggest remaining test comes at 2pm on Sunday. Yes, it’s the NLD. Tons at stake - even apart from the usual. Both sides are desperate for the points, and that lot are still holding out hopes of finishing fourth. And they’re desperate, of course. to stop Arsenal in their tracks.

At least two Spurs fans of my acquaintance are expecting us to ‘murder’ them. I hope they’re right, but I don’t share their confidence. Nonetheless, having gone into the Wolves game unhappy and having to dig out a result, then having followed that up with this emphatic victory, morale in the camp is surely as high as it can possibly be. For all that, it really is ‘squeaky bum time’, and not only is there still no room for error but we still need to see City slip up. 

All Arsenal can do is win, win, and win again. Starting at the home of The Enemy. Can they do it? Of course they can! But it’s going to be a nerve-wracking few days before we find out. 

Udogie’s absence will help - especially as that’s down our strong right hand side. But they’ll be well-rested; something that cannot be said for Arsenal, who have played three times since they last did. 

Let’s hope that Arsenal can end their season once and for all, and that the fans can celebrate St Totteringham’s Day at their place.

COYG!

Results Are All That Matter

Following their Champions League exit on Wednesday (more of that later), it was critical for Arsenal to get back to winning ways immediately. And… mission achieved. For all that Saturday's game was a terrible spectacle, the result was everything; because failure to have picked up those three points would have meant the death knell for any title aspirations. 

We're at the stage of the season when results matter more than performances. It's great to look superb in December, January, February - but at this time of year, provided you've got something to play for, that all fades into the background and it's points that matter - nothing else. With Arsenal (and Liverpool) now needing to both go perfect for the next half a dozen games, AND wait for City to slip up, it's functionality that counts. Cut out the mistakes. Get the ball in the onion bag by hook or by crook. Just get over the line.

Stage One was Wolves away. On paper, a possibly tricky encounter. And whilst our hosts were suffering with a ludicrous number of injuries, you start at 0-0 and you have to somehow break the deadlock. With the double blow of the previous two matches very much in everybody's minds, it was time to do what was necessary, no matter how, to achieve the required result.

The job was done; albeit that's 90+ minutes of our lives that we'll never get back. A somewhat fortuitous Trossard shot that made its way into the top corner, and then a late (and clever) second from skipper Odegaard after what felt like an interminable and agonising second half, and the job was done. 

 

If it hadn't been for some Raya heroics at the other end, things may have been different. Arsenals' current streak of away clean sheets is quite remarkable, however; perhaps it's easier in some ways to play away from an expectant Emirates Stadium?

It wasn't quite 'backs to the wall', but in their post Villa/Bayern funk Arsenal afforded Wolves too much respect. It felt like a sudden lack of 'mojo'. It does feel that Arteta is struggling to find the right formula at the moment, and he probably needs to freshen things up just a little now.

Of course, it's difficult to parachute players who are lacking minutes into the XI. A lack of sharpness at this stage could be fatal. But he's surely got to use Thomas Partey a little more. And give Gabriel Martinelli the chance to regain his pre-injury form. A fit and firing Partey can make a dramatic difference. And losing what Martinelli is best at has upset the whole front line. And - and I cannot believe I'm typing this after the start the man had to his Arsenal career - he needs to ensure that Kai Havertz plays up top; whatever that means for Gabriel Jesus.

Defeat at home to Villa meant that the 'noise' had started. Arsenal are 'bottlers'. Arsenal 'don't have what it takes'. Arsenal are 'serial losers'. etc etc. To then follow that with defeat in Munich only served to grease those wheels. Bayern had a little too much knowhow over the two legs; for all that we can point at key moments - especially in the home leg - that could have made a difference.

Let's face it. the team didn't deserve anything from either game. And it additionally served to pile the pressure on Arteta and his charges. But there's still a huge prize within reach.

So what has happened? Let's examine the situation: firstly, we'd have taken this at the beginning of the season - in with a reasonable shout of the title with 6 games to go. As for the Champions League, quarter final felt about right. After all, it took years for City to win it. It's feels like only clubs with true Champions League heritage/history - the likes of Real Madrid, Liverpool (failed to qualify this time round) and, yes, Bayern - have the 'aura' you need to make real progress in the competition. It's Arteta's Arsenal's first season; so a step further next year, please...

And secondly yes, there HAS been progress this season. One league defeat at the end of a long, spectacular run of victories did not mean that the train had run out of track. The team had to show that it had merely been temporarily derailed; and it did that on Saturday evening. Quarter final CL defeat was not the end of the world. There were weeks in the Wenger years when Arsenal crashed out of competitions, one after the other, within the space of a week. But at least this Arsenal team remains in with a chance of attaining its primary target.

Last season, of course, they completely ran out of steam. This season, there is a chance that this may yet happen again, and if that does happen then Arteta will inevitably have questions to answer about squad rotation and freshness. He'd been building the squad up to peak at this moment, and if it fails to do so then he'll be asking himself identical questions to those we'll be asking. 

For what it's worth, I feel that he has over-played a number of key individuals, implying that he doesn't have full faith in some of his squad to fill in. City have a massive group of players - almost two full XIs - but they've had years (and the wealth of an entire nation) to get to that point. And Liverpool have done remarkably well to negotiate their injury crisis. The only excuse we can offer for Arteta is that the 'project' remains a young one. And I honestly believe that Arsenal have, in each of the last three seasons, been achieving tasks a season ahead of schedule. 8th to 5th was a big jump. To then somehow challenge for the title last season an even bigger one. This season, for all the money spent, the Manager is still obliged to work with players of insufficient quality. You know the players to whom I refer...

The phenomenal run from January to March has ended. They hit the buffers. But they started to bounce back on Saturday. This is a tricky week; Chelsea are completely unpredictable (thankfully their talisman Palmer looked less than fully fit over the weekend), and we all know what's awaiting the team on Sunday. Arsenal can definitely beat Chelsea, but a rested and highly motivated Tottenham Hotspur side at The New Toilet Bowl will be comfortably the biggest remaining challenge. Hopefully Arsenal can exploit their ludicrously high line - but that's for another day; it's Chelsea first of course.

We shall see. Believe; it's so close now...

COYG!

From The Sublime To The……

Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson once pronounced that: ‘A week is a long time in politics.’ Well, in professional sport it’s exactly the opposite! In the space of just three games, Arsenal have gone from imperious Premier League leaders and favourites to reach the Champions League semi finals, to a group of players bereft of confidence and fraught with misgivings. Fans are calling for wholesale changes, and people all over the country are back to calling our team ‘bottlers’. It's OK to be disappointed, but... rein it in, guys!

It’s all thoroughly annoying and frustrating but I - along with so many others - will try to examine what’s gone wrong below. Because there's so little margin for error. So without further ado…

From the moment that Bukayo Saka's penalty was dispatched into the side netting of the Brighton net, it was all over as a contest. Truthfully, Arsenal had already looked by far the likeliest winners by then, as they dominated a side who had been unbeaten at home since August; scarcely giving them a sniff of goal. And the one time they did, David Raya was very much up to it. Another sign of Arsenal's dominance over much of the Premier League. By the end, 3-0 did not flatter them in the slightest, and Liverpool's slip-up at Old Trafford the next day meant that suddenly Arsenal were back on top of the table with their fate in their own hands.

And so attention turned to Bayern Munich, and our old friend Harry Kane. Now, I have no idea if we'd been lulled into a false sense of security by Bayern's poor domestic form - since they lost to Leverkusen in February they'd basically given up the domestic ghost - but they have a huge amount of Champions League pedigree, and one of the best forward lines in world football. Yet could Arsenal have done more?

They took the lead with a superb finish from Saka, who bent a shot into Neuer's far corner with consummate ease, and Arsenal were well on top at that stage. 

But the margins are small at this level, and Bayern have dangerous players. And so it proved that, due to two pieces of inaccuracy from Arsenal and some sublime play from Leroy Sane, Arsenal were suddenly behind.

For the first, Raya's rash rush out of goal unbalanced the defensive unit, and despite one or two chances to clear Bayern took full advantage as old boy Serge Gnabry ran into the penalty area and finished clinically. For the second Kivior - a surprise choice at left back in my opinion, was undone by the quick feet and electric pace of Sane. Again, the entire defensive unit was unbalanced by some scintillating play and Sane was brought down at the third attempt. Penalty; and there was of course no doubt whatsoever about whether Kane was going to score.

Arteta switched the team around on several occasions in the second half in the search for an equaliser, and got his reward as Leandro Trossard swept the ball home following a typical Jesus run. In truth, the goal was all about the Brazilian. 2-2 is better than 1-2, but there’s plenty for Arsenal to do in Bavaria. 

We can be a little more dispassionate about Harry Kane these days, now that he is longer at our arch-enemies. And there is no doubt that he is a fine, fine player. All that's missing from his career is a trophy; but he has spent most of it at Tottenham, so that was somewhat inevitable. They say that 'You can take the boy out of Tottenham' etc..., but in truth he deserves more than a Golden Boot or two (if you haven’t seen what the top scorer in the Bundesliga gets, Google it!).  Unfortunately for Kane, he arrived at Bayern at a time when they're in a state of flux, and Leverkusen have had a miracle season.

But for all his ability there's still something dark about his antics. In one of several controversial moments during the game, he seemed to firstly check precisely where Gabriel was… before elbowing him in the throat. Nasty; and VAR should have paid closer attention, in my opinion. He got a yellow card, but for me that was a Wenger 'dark yellow' at the very least. Very unpleasant.

I'm going to gloss over the Bayern call for a penalty following Gabriel's alleged 'handball'. It was nothing. He wasn't seeking an advantage and the referee quite rightly used his discretion. In the last minute of the match, however, there were massive shouts for a penalty for a foul by Neuer on Saka. On balance, for me, that's a penalty - but I can see why it wasn't given. Questions of whether the referee was 'balancing things out' are a bit daft, but this whole 'initiating contact' thing does bother me. I referee a Walking Football game on Tuesday evenings, and initiating contact is my biggest bug bear (apart from all the running!). I hate seeing it! Of course, it matters not that I personally tend to favour the defender in such instances. This, however, is the Champions League! Saka looked for the contact (which he is permitted to do), Neuer didn't get a touch on the ball, and so it really should have been a penalty.

And so, having got out of jail, so to speak, on Tuesday, it was back to domestic action on Sunday with a visit from Don Unai’s high-flying Aston Villa. They had laid down and surrendered at The Etihad a few weeks ago, and we might have expected some rotation with them also in the middle of a European tie. Yet Emery went full strength against Arsenal - of course he did!

It was a great opportunity for Arsenal to go go back to the top of the table following City’s inevitable and emphatic win over Luton, and frankly put Liverpool - who had somehow contrived to lose to Crystal Palace earlier in the afternoon - out of the race. And so the crowd felt optimistic; domestic form was top-notch, after all. 

The first half was pretty exciting for a 0-0 score line, for all that there were a few moments of jeopardy prior to half time; but Arsenal should have been ahead. But that could not have prepared us for what was to follow.

Villa absolutely blew Arsenal away in the second half, and were well worthy of their 2-0 win. There can be no excuses from Arsenal. Yes, we might have disagreed slightly with team selection - as on Tuesday - but it unfortunately felt like another of those ‘hitting the wall’ moments, and Arteta has a lot to do to get the squad back in the correct frame of mind.

There was no room for error. Yet error there was. And I’ve been giving it some thought; haven’t we all? Arteta is still a young manager, learning on the job at one of the biggest jobs in world football. He hasn’t come up through the ranks or ‘done his apprenticeship’; yes, he’s seen Pep at work, but the decision-making was never his until he got the Arsenal job. 

And he’s made mistakes. There have been ‘watershed’ moments on the way. The decisions to dispense with Aubameyang and his cronies were wise. The injury to Willian that forced him into that fortuitous selection of Emile Smith Rowe against Chelsea worked out extremely well. Replacing the injured Saliba with Rob Holding and not Kivior last season; not so well. And in  these last two games, Captain Hindsight has told me that the manager got both selections wrong; and at a crucial time. 

And the way that this season in general has been managed? Well, if it turns out that the wall has been hit again - and it remains an if - then I would suggest that it has been a lack of rotation that has caused the problem. I accept that Liverpool and - especially - City have bigger squads than Arsenal. But perhaps Arteta doesn’t fully trust enough of his squad outside of the first 14/15 names? Clearly, long-term injuries to Partey and Timber, and to a lesser extent Tomiyasu, haven’t helped, but I for one would have wanted to see a bit more of ESR and Vieira, for example. 

.Whether the lack of a 20+ goal a season striker will finally bring Arsenal down, I’m not really sure. They remain the league’s top scorers. But for all the money spent I still suspect that Arteta feels that he’s still being obliged to fit square pegs into round holes. And may also be thinking that perhaps he needs to dispense with one or two of the more established players. We shall see.…

Look; it’s not all over. The fat lady hasn’t even started clearing her throat. But Arsenal can ill afford a single slip from now on. 

Do I still believe? Yes; just about. COYG!

Getting It Done

Arsenal continue to fly under most people’s radar in their two-pronged trophy attack. Quietly and efficiently, they are going about their work and getting the results they need. Porto; job done. City away; job done. Luton; job done. 

There’s been nothing spectacular about it - not, anyway, since the successive 5-1, 2-1, 3-1, 6-0, 5-0, 4-1, 6-0, 2-1 sequence of Premier League wins since the turn of the year that transformed the goal difference situation, that is...

They’re not getting much credit for being top of the table and for reaching the Champions League quarter-finals, but they’re currently right in the mix for both trophies. In fact, most pundits are expecting them to finish third in the Premier League, and to fail to reach the Champions League Final. And, if that's the case, that does not mean that progress has not been made this season. There has. They're a better side, and have more squad depth, than last season. And they are moving in the right direction, and at a rate that we couldn't have anticipated when Mikel Arteta took over the reins.

Now, I’m not saying with any sense of anything but a gently growing sense of hope that they might win either or both trophies. And I’m not sure whether to be disappointed that our team are still not being taken as seriously as they should be, or pleased that they’re evading the media spotlight. Under the radar, and out of the spotlight, is probably better than having pressure heaped upon them. 

After all, there's the whole Klopp's Last Stand scenario. And the City Always Come Good At This Time Of Year scenario. In Europe, there's the approaching spectre of Harry Kane. But one step at a time. Do the business. Move on. 10 (up to 13) matches to go. The next one is the most important.

Let's look back at the different ways that Arsenal have gone about their business. Against Porto, they 'scraped through’ on penalties; all the subtleties of the tie, and the trickiness of the opposition, were apparently irrelevant. What they did in fact do was stay compact and work away until they got their reward. None of this 'gung ho' nonsense. Goals conceded; zero. And they held their nerve in the shoot-out (flowers for David Raya, of course).

After that nonsensical and interminable international break, the performance in a 0-0 draw at The Etihad was apparently a sign that Manchester City remain a far better side than Arsenal (look; they’re very good indeed, and whilst Arsenal couldn’t really impose themselves on the match, they held City off reasonably comfortably, in hindsight). I was there, by the way, thanks to a very kind gesture from my cousin, and whilst it made for a very long day, accompanied by a great deal of tension in the ground itself, it was worth every minute of the 14-hour round trip, and the two hours of increased blood pressure. 

 

But Arsenal can't win. Instead of getting praise for being the first team in 58 matches to prevent City from scoring at home, they get accused of 'parking the bus'. Look, I suppose they did; but they had little choice - they were hemmed in for long periods. But a) the bus was parked beautifully - City had a single effort on target - and b) arguably had more and better chances than City. I'd have taken a draw beforehand. I'm sure we all would have. But, once more - goals conceded; zero. Erling Who?

Yet they left with a tinge of regret about not managing to leave with all three points, and that's progress. They've taken 4 points from both Liverpool and City this season; that's remarkable. However, if the 5 points dropped against Fulham end up costing them the title that will be extremely disappointing.

Two entirely different types of performance in those two games. And a third different type against Luton. In a game that everyone expected them to win comfortably, Arteta took the opportunity to rotate. The squad players took their chances, which can only be good. Just Jurrien Timber to come back now and the squad will be as healthy as it can possibly be in April. 

I was particularly pleased to see ESR performing so well. He helped set up the first goal by robbing Mpenzu (superb assist by Havertz and finish by Odegaard, by the way), and having ghosted into space took the assist for the second and decisive goal. He got tired in the second half, but showed that he can be relied upon if called upon going forward. As did Thomas Partey. The team then held Luton at arm's length for the second half to take the three points. Goals conceded, by the way; zero.

There's been some moaning about a flat atmosphere at the Luton game. I'd say this; firstly, it's Easter; loads of regulars are away. Secondly, it was Luton; once a lead was secured there was no need to get excited - we'll save that for the likes of Chelsea. And finally, the tube was f*cked; no wonder so many left early. Nothing to be read into it, frankly.

Anyway... Job done. Job done. Job done. In different ways, but done nonetheless. We move on to Brighton on Saturday evening; the first of several tricky-looking away games. But by all current metrics Arsenal are the best team in the Premier League at the moment. Most goals scored. Fewest goals conceded. Highest Xg. Lowest Xg against. I could go on... so whilst the likes of Brighton are tricky fixtures, don't you think that they might be a little bit worried about having to play The Arsenal?

Three points, please. And a nice lead to take to Germany after Tuesday evening, please. Move on up.

COYG!

Top Of The League, You Say?...

Well, I think we’ll take that, frankly. Top of the league with 10 games to go. The two results in which we were interested could not have gone any better. Lots of story lines, of course, but the bare facts speak for themselves and leave the top of the table looking very crowded indeed. But if Carlsberg did weekends...

Nonetheless, Arsenal are in charge of their own destiny now (Arsenal appear to have the hardest of the three sets of matches on paper; but, for what it's worth, I have all three sides winning 8 and drawing 2 of their final 10 matches. And you know what that means...).

Here's my view on Saturday's talking points:

Firstly, Brentford turned out to be an excellent dress rehearsal for Porto. With a defence wracked by injuries - and a further injury early on in the game - Brentford came to stay well-organised, to spoil, to shithouse, and to look to hit Arsenal on the break. They ought to be embarrassed by some of the histrionics they performed - the match lasted 105 minutes, but the ball was only in play for 49 of them - as they collapsed writhing on the floor on some sort of rotational basis almost from the first whistle. I've never seen so much cramp suffered by so many players over such a short period! From Zanka after 5 minutes, to Maupay after 103, it wasn't football. 

Perfectly understandable, of course. A flowing game would not have suited them, and it's a legitimate tactic to look to break up play as must as possible when outclassed. And they almost got a point out of it; although would have been more than they deserved on the balance of play. The twin threats of Toney and Wissa were/are quite a handful - especially when defending 2 vs 2 as Arsenal were for much of the game.

In that context, I found their response to Kai Havertz's alleged dive somewhat unpalatable. Sure, he made the most of whatever contact there was. But a second yellow? Really? And especially bearing in mind the two penalties that Arsenal could/should have been awarded for tugs on Trossard and Gabriel (amidst penalty area scenes that would be outlawed at times in a game of rugby!). 

And I for one don't appreciate the narrative created on the back of it. I was shocked to see the BBC's treatment of the Havertz incident on MOTD. Blown out of all proportion. There's a constant lack of willingness to praise Arsenal, and a desire to do them down - and if they can't find anything then they'll make something up. How nice it would be for the team to actually be given the credit it deserves!

Secondly, I want to talk about Aaron Ramsdale. Now, we all love the man. And he was on a hiding to nothing in this game. Yes, he made a mistake, and a bad one; I originally thought that Gabriel had given him a bit of a 'hospital pass', but he had time to clear the ball. He simply took too long to sort his feet out. Excellent work from Wissa, and very unfortunate for Ramsdale.

Yet he redeemed himself fully in the second half. Two excellent - one world class, in fact - saves prevented Arsenal from falling behind. The save from Toney's brilliant, improvised long-distance effort was magnificent. 

And the other, from Collins' header after the latter had escaped Kivior on a second ball from a set piece (something the coaching staff need to look at there, I think) was pretty fine too. It was wonderful to see the team spirit and camaraderie in the squad, supporting the keeper through his eventful evening.

This may well be the final time we see Ramsdale in an Arsenal shirt. And whilst it's now clear that Arteta did make the correct decision in upgrading, we must not lose sight of the job the guy has done for this team. By dint of number of memorable performances and saves last season, and of sheer force of personality, he helped turn Arsenal around. I wish him good fortune wherever he goes (until he comes up against Arsenal, of course).

The goalkeeping decision is something that we can now see that Arteta has got right. Signing Havertz. Signing Jorginho. Reverting to Trossard last season when the number one target drifted out of reach. Deciding to remove the likes of Aubameyang, Ozil, Mustafi and others from the squad. We doubted Arteta time and time again. Which only goes to show what we know about football. Mikel knows... And on a slight tangent, I wonder how Chelsea fans feel when they see Jorginho and Havertz - players they'd written off - performing so well in a red shirt. No more scavenging in 'Chelsea's bins' for the likes of David Luiz and Willian; these are two further strokes of Arteta genius.

Next, it's clear that this group of players is still developing, and can only get better. They're equipped for different roles in different scenarios. Look at the different roles that White, Rice and Havertz play for starters. Versatility and the ability to adjust in the heat of battle is crucial. White's two assists, and the fact that Arsenal scored two headed goals against a defence of some size/stature (all three of their goals against this opposition have come from headers, actually) show that they will do whatever it takes, however it takes to achieve it.

With the draw we craved the result of the titanic Liverpool/City clash on Sunday, the road is clear to concentrate on Porto this evening. If Martinelli remains unfit, I'd be very tempted to start Jesus. And with Partey and Zinchenko now on their way back, things might get very hot indeed for the Portuguese outfit.

Arsenal - and we fans of course - need to bring the fire. So they don't know what's hit them. Put pressure on their players, and on the referee, and progress to the quarter finals is within reach. After that, it's time for those international friendlies that we've all been missing so much... 

Followed by the big one on March 31st! Let's keep pushing. Players, coaching staff, and supporters alike. Let's get behind this group and help push them over the line. 

Exciting times. North London Forever. COYG!

Statistics, Eh?!?

Arsenal's dismantling of Sheffield United on Monday evening meant a whole new set of statistical records were set; not just during the match, but reflecting the team's incredible run over the past 7 matches. If titles were won on paper, Arsenal would have this one wrapped up on all known indicators. 

My favourite stats from the night were:

• William Saliba completed 167 passes (in itself an incredible number for a centre back) during the match. That's more than the entire Sheffield United team, who completed just 142 between them. Those 167 passes comfortably eclipsed the Arsenal record of 154, previously held by Santi Cazorla

• Kai Havertz's goal was the 150,000th in English top flight football history. And Ben White's left-footed pile-driver was Arsenal's 10,000th competitive goal

• The 11-0 aggregate over two matches against Sheffield United equalled Arsenal's previous Premier League record, which was achieved against Everton in 2004/5 and then against a hapless Derby County in 2007/8. And is one short of Manchester City's 12-0 record, achieved against Watford. As an aside, I have happy memories of Arsenal facing Everton on or around the final game of the season (remember 'It's Tony Adams, put through by Steve Bould. Would you believe it?!? That sums it all up!'). I recall a 7-0, a 4-3 and a 5-1. Not an omen, but our final game of the season is... home to Everton...

• The result was Arsenal's third consecutive 5+ goal away win. Which is as remarkable as is the fact that it was also United's third consecutive 5+ goal defeat! They are doomed

• Arsenal were three goals up in 15 minutes, and 5 in 39. No wonder the home sections were half empty by half time

• Waka waka. Kai Havertz scored -and assisted - again. Oh we of little faith! As it turns out, Mikel knows...

I could go on. But - and I'll, as I usually do, preface this by pointing out that Sheffield United are terrible - this was no flash in the pan. Since their mini-break in Dubai, and with the bizarre exception of the defeat in Portugal, Arsenal have been blowing far better sides than this lot away. Newcastle are no mugs, yet they didn't have a sniff. Nobody goes to the London Stadium and hits 6. Liverpool supporters will be the first to admit that they were well beaten.

This side currently has something of the feel of The Invincibles. Now, they've clearly got a hell of a way to go to emulate that side (I'm not sure that it's even possible these days if the great Manchester City haven't achieved it), but just to see them in the tunnel prior to the game would have sent shivers up Sheffield spines. A steely look, and a little nod - both reminiscent of the magnificent Vieira-led team of 2003/4 - were enough to put the opposition away before the match had even started. And it was all over as contest in no time, as we all saw.

A goals record of 31-3 over the past 7 games is amazing. And the underlying stats reinforce the results. xG is 19, so they're over-performing that by miles (I wrote only a few weeks ago that Arsenal were under-performing against xG, and just wait until that changes - I am a prophet!)

More importantly, xGA (expected goals against) over the 7 games is 1.97 - so they're underperforming that by actually having let three goals in - but the nearest team to the Gunners, Manchester City's, comparative xGA is close to 7! Liverpool's is 10. Newcastle's is over 20! And it's this that could make the difference by the end of the season.

No team wins a title with a poor defence. Statistically, Arsenal's is the best in the division. Fewest shots on target conceded. Fewest goals conceded. Lowest xGA. And that bodes well. Provided that... the centre halves stay fit, and that Arteta can be allowed some rotation. Zinchenko, Tomiyasu and even Timber should be making it back to fitness in turn as the season builds to a climax, which will all help. Not that young Kivior isn't doing a remarkable job at left back at the moment.

As for those who'd been clamouring for a striker... eat your words! Goals are being shared all over the pitch. The team looks settled, and is playing with great belief, confidence and verve. Arteta seems to have the mix just right at the moment. But there's a long way to go yet.

Because... all of these stats are on paper. The title will - I'm pretty sure - be decided on grass, and moments may be vital. Trends are one thing, but it only takes a mometary lapse for things to go awry. As Thierry Henry pointed out on Sky Sports on Monday evening, whilst Arsenal's defensive stats are enviable, they maybe do have a weakness. Much like Manchester City, they have a propensity to concede to the first shot on target (although recently those have been few and far between). And the weakness is this, for both sides: they are intent on dominating possession, and on pushing up and strangling the opposition. But if the press is beaten, they can find themselves wide open to a swift break. Yin and yang; I'd risk it. After all, Saliba has fantastic recovery pace, but before that's needed they've got to get past Rice and Gabriel. All of which is going to make the game at The Etihad fascinating.

Arsenal are playing the most scintillating football in Europe at the moment, but that will count for nothing if they get knocked out of their stride. I'm not too worried about an injury-ravaged Brentford, who they ought to shrug aside. But they need to carry the performance through to Porto on Tuesday. Failure to qualify for the last 8 of the Champions League would be sure to hit their confidence (qualification will lead to fixture congestion, but that's the price of success). Tuesday will be an entirely different type of game - Porto will try every trick in the book - but there's a good chance that they may find themselves getting blown away at a fired-up Emirates Stadium.

After Porto, there's another of those hideous interlulls... and then Manchester City away! We'll know more about the size of the task in hand by the time City have finished their clash with Liverpool, but we'll know everything about it by the evening of March 31st. 

Meantime, let's see the momentum spill over into each game, take each one as it comes, and we shall see. This feels different to last season, when injuries were already starting to deplete the squad. What Monday's scoreline did was mean a full half for Fabio Vieira, and half an hour from Gabriel Jesus, as well as the lesser-spotted Thomas Partey (who looked rusty, but still showed flashes of what makes him such an important piece in the jigsaw). An entirely different scenario to last season.

Nonetheless, the task is enormous. Arsenal are still only in third place, with two behemoths ahead of them; players and managers who have been there, and done it. And whilst I feel that Liverpool's 'luck' may run out (there's a similar feel to what they're doing to what Arsenal did in the first par tof last season; and despite injuries their recent fixtures haven't been taxing in any case) at any minute, I'd rather not contemplate dealing with City until I have to. 

Arsenal remain the third youngest squad in the Premier League, so there's surely plenty to come from them over the next few years. But they currently look ready to step up, and this does feel like a great opportunity. 10 more matches. That's all. It has to be Full Steam Ahead. 

COYG!

Saturday Night Is Party Night!

Arsenal, if anything, took their domestic form up yet another notch with a totally dominant victory over Newcastle United on Saturday night. Mikel Arteta had requested it loud, and following a 20-day gap since the previous home league game we were certainly up for it from long before the first whistle. The light show, the flags and North London Forever set the scene as Arsenal tore into Newcastle from kick-off.

Revenge was, of course, in the air. This wasn't just about putting right Wednesday's wrongs, but about putting straight the feelings of injustice from the reverse fixture; you remember, of course, a goal that could/should have been disallowed for any of three reasons being allowed to stand! Martin Odegaard touched on this post-match, but it was clear that Arsenal were going to have an extra edge against a club against whom there is extra recent antipathy. The very sight of the baby-faced (don't let that fool you!) Eddie Howe and his demon sidekick Tindall are enough to set me off, I can tell you!

And then, of course, there's Bruno Guimaraes. An unpleasant presence in Newcastle's midfield; always up for a snidey or over-the-top challenge. Should have taken an early bath on the reverse fixture following an assault on Jorginho. And, by the way, he attempted a 'reducer' on the same player early on during Saturday's game; what a scumbag!

And here's a thing; it's well-known that Arsenal were interested in him before he signed for Newcastle, but I've put 2 and 2 together after listening (back) to Edu's pre-game interview on TNT Sport, when he referenced that it's as much about the character of the individual as his ability when it comes to signing players to add to this particular group. Because Bruno, by the way that he conducts himself, doesn't strike me as somebody who would fit in with the current group; in the same way as the likes of Moises Caicedo may well have fallen by the wayside too (by the way, didn't the club dodge some bullets when they were unable - for whatever reason - to sign Caicedo or Mudryk, judging on their pitiful showings in the Carabao Cup Final!).

I for one was concerned about the mental scars from Wednesday - as well as the physical effects compared to Newcastle, who'd had all week to rest and prepare for this match - but Arsenal came flying out of the blocks from the first whistle, and pushed Newcastle back throughout a high intensity initial half hour where it was clear that Newcastle had no response whatsoever. In the first half hour, over 50% of the game had been played in Newcastle's final third; let alone half!

Arsenal were simply irresistible. With Odegaard, Havertz and Rice leading the press and blocking the out balls, the unpredictable movement of Saka and Martinelli, the high starting points of both full backs, and Jorginho oiling the wheels, Newcastle were reeling. That the first goal should have come from a corner, however, can be no surprise on current form. Gabriel's powerful flick from Saka's flat delivery had the away side at 6s and 7s - one almost felt sorry for poor Karius in the Newcastle goal; what a venue to play your first PL game for 6 years! - and at some point the ball/pinball crossed the goal line for an own goal.

Some of the combination play being put together was sublime. Odegaard and Saka have a wonderful mutual understanding, the movement all over the pitch was superb, and once Jorginho's clever vertical passing is added to the mix I defy any side to cope. Chances were being created at will, and the second goal was a work of art. Jorginho's lobbed ball the meet Martinelli's clever and somewhat unexpected and unusual run into the right-hand channel, an intelligent pull back into the 6-yard box, and Kai Havertz, showing great anticipation, was there to pass the ball into the almost unguarded net. Beautiful.

 

Newcastle were all over the shop. Whatever plans they'd had, Arsenal had blown them out of the water. They looked jittery in possession, and lost it continually; even arguing amongst themselves. Only when Arsenal eased up a little - taking a breather - before half time did they manage to get any sort of foothold in the game. But they went in at the break without having had a single shot on Raya's goal.

Early in the second half we saw the other side of Kai Havertz, and following a sweeping move that started with David Raya and ended with a really clever reverse pass from Martinelli, the German contrived to drag the ball wide from 15 yards with only Karius to beat. I had been up in an act of premature celebration; I'd have been embarrassed, but I was hardly alone. Despite all the goals that are raining in, I still feel that Arsenal need to be even more clinical.

Whilst Jorginho rightly took the Man of the Match plaudits, I have to spare a few words for Starboy. His form has gone up a few more notches over the past few weeks, terrorising full backs and showing not only great strength and skill, but unpredictability. Add to that his phenomenal recent scoring form and we have a player in the form of his young life. Goodness knows how much more there may be to come from him, but I don't want to hear any more of this 'He's not World Class' nonsense. I keep casting my mind forward to the summer, by the way, and can't wait to see what an England side that includes Saka, Rice, Bellingham, TAA, Foden and Harry Kane might achieve at the Euros.

And it was Saka who single-handedly put the result beyond doubt, when at the end of an incisive move he first tormented Livramento before finding some extra space and curling the ball into the far corner of Karius's net. Glorious. 

And this photograph sums his relationship with the club and the fans up perfectly.

Moments later, another corner. And this time it was Kivior on the end of Rice's near post delivery to bury the ball, via a deflection, in the back of the net for 4-0. Well-deserved, from a young man who has really grown into an unfamiliar left back role from rocky beginnings. True, Arteta has simplified what he wants from the Pole compared to what he expects of Zinchenko; but he's done a superb job over the past few weeks.

Some sloppy and perhaps slightly tired defending allowed former Arsenal player Joe Willock to claw a consolation goal back late on. But there was still time for an ESR shot to be cleared off the line by substitute - and I'll give him his full name here - Big Dan Burn At The Back. 4-1 will do very nicely, and we maintain the pressure on our rivals. In fact, with the fixtures falling as they do it's likely that by the time that Liverpool and City face off against each other in a couple of weeks, Arsenal will be above them. Nothing less than their scintillating form deserves, as more Premier League records fall to the mighty Arsenal. 12. More. Games.

A quick word about the Carabao Cup before I go. And whilst it was VVD who, by force of his presence and personality won the cup for Liverpool, I have to say that I completely agree with Gary Neville's assessment of Chelsea. Faced in extra time by a Liverpool side with 4 teenagers and a 20-year-old, their over-priced and over-rated bunch of misfits disappeared further and further into their shells; unable to impose themselves. They're an absolute joke of a club at the moment; badly run, badly coached and with little apparent pride or motivation. An absolute laughing stock. Long may it continue.

As for Liverpool; well done - you've won the Carabao Cup; now get down the tunnel! Or, in Klopp's final season, keep going in the cups until late on, maybe win another one, but fade out of title contention please. With the number of injuries they currently have, that's a highly likely scenario.

And so to Monday evening, when no scenario that I can think of lends itself to anything but a thumping win for Arsenal at bottom of the table Sheffield United. COYG!