77 thoughts on “Look who’s behind you! Arsenal’s Mission is clear now.”

  • I’ll join your band, Total, such a fabulous challenge for our boys to hunt this extraordinary Liverpool team down. A lot has been said about our lack of luck with decisions and injuries and ‘pools easier start, but luck tends to spread out over the course of a season and each team plays the same teams home and away.
    We need a run of three pointers and we will need to win at Anfield. Can we all remember any famous wins up there…
    So much to celebrate; thirteen different goal scorers so far this season, the choreography of our set pieces, our staunch Gandalfian defence, the joy of Saka, the wizardry of Ode, the intelligence of Kai, the balance between Wengerball and the pragmatic, the promise of Ethan & Miles and the prospect of Max, a culture of excellence and encouragement …
    I remember writing on this blog in response to a photograph Total put up, of Bergkamp, Pires, Henry, Cole & Campbell celebrating a goal together. I asked, “when will we see their likes again?”
    I can see that day dawning. “I see my light come shining from the west unto the east.
    Any day now, any day now…”

  • Stu, I know Bob Dylan wrote the original, but this Reggae version by Mighty Diamonds is what I grew up knowing. There was an even more soulful version I couldn’t find.

  • Just need to win against Fulham and the pressure will be on Liverpool, even as their local derby with Everton is postponed.

  • Nice, Eris. I kinda like reggae, find it relaxing and lazy Sundayish. I’ve listened to a lot of artists who cover Bob. For me no one gets close to beating the original. Jimi, maybe, and the hauntingly beautiful Joni…

  • I been watching the Fulham games; Iwobi has been such a leader for them, their main man I’d say. I’ll be happy with a 3-1 win and see Emile get their consolation. Still love that lad.

  • I can’t help but have this worrying feeling that Martinelli has kinda hit a wall in his development.

    Go back 2/3 years and both he and Saka had elements of their games that needed working on but despite that they still had enough tricks to score and assist goals galore.

    Over time opposition defenders adapted to cut down their effectiveness, Saka worked on his game, didn’t rely on cutting inside on his left-foot and is now equally effective on either foot, so much so that he’s often surrounded by two and three opponents and still often beats them.

    Martinelli still comes inside onto his right, still dribbles in straight lines and is easily dispossessed, you often see him facing a single defender and he still has a problem crossing effectively or with his left foot, he is one-dimensional but he works hard defensively and never stops running or closing down but I just don’t see any improvement from what he was a couple of years ago, nothing new to his game.

    Saka bursts forward then will stop, slow down, change direction, draw in the defender then suddenly burst past him on either side. Martinelli just runs as fast as he can, straight down the line until he loses the ball.

    Or am I being too harsh?
    You decide?

  • Trossard on the left wing really doesn’t work, maybe Sterling is worth a try on the left wing?

  • Maybe Martinelli still misses Xhaka, nobody picked him out better and more effectively than Granit?

  • I kinda understand why Arteta moved Timber to left-back and had Partey on the right but there’s no doubting that Odegaard and Saka are 33% less effective without Timber or Ben White working their magic.

    Starting Tierney was suggested in some quarters but do we really want to hang Kieran out to dry after weeks/months of inactivity and not least given his fitness fragility and past struggles to adapt to the current tactical environment?

  • Sleep well, Kev. I hope your shift went well.
    It was a disappointing result which left me a little deflated for the day, but “hope springs eternal”.

  • No, Stuart. Not even heard of them. What genre will the music be? Can’t say I blame the Mrs much, Stu. That’s truly sounds eearie and mind bending. 🤨

  • Still trying to get some perspectives with that result against Fulham. I really thought we had overcome our inability to stand up to tests, when the chips are down; like doing all to win, so as to reduce the gap on Liverpool, while keeping an eye on Chelsea.
    Only consolation is there’s a long way to go and as the saying goes, you don’t win the title in December; but you can lose it. …

  • It’s a fusion, Eris. Traditional Indian call and response story telling, mixed with some IMHO great percussion and backing muso’s/singers. I’ll tell my wife she has a friend in Nigeria. 😇

    The best perspective on the Fulham match will be offered at seasons end, when we see what those two dropped points may have cost us, or not.

    I enjoy listening to Ian Stone on Handbrake off. Always good for a laugh and some insights. He wondered if the LA Rams connection through the Kronke’s is influencing our movement at set pieces, all that “blocking” being typical of NFL tactics. I read somewhere that Mikel had some time with the Rams coach during the summer.

  • lol, Stuart. You tell her that; I am equally relieved to know the sentiments are shared by another. I can feel the power in the percussion though. 👌🏽

    I guess we’d have to wait till the season draws to a close then. Hopefully, that result isn’t consequential.

  • Some fine music and Kevs comments are on the money. Football is a funny game. There is no way Fulham deserved a point from just the one chance, but after scoring a dozen goals in a few games, the boys just did not have much luck to score the necessary second one. This seems to be an unwritten rule in football.

    I can live with the draw, it might even be the point that clinches the championship…. who knows.

    The big point for me is, per Kevs comments, that we need to get our left side working again. We are missing the Italian lion there. I would also start Raheem for the next few games, and treat Leandro as our Solksjaer from now on.

  • Yes Total, Califiori is a big miss despite his occasional gaffs, he’s not been able to get into any rhythm or develop a partnership with Martinelli and of course the concerns that we’ve got another injury prone left back to add to Zinchenko, Tierney and Tomiyasu are growing…

  • Sterling is really becoming a bit of an enigma Total, there’s something not right with him and Arteta because when we need a goal he’s hardly ever asked to join the party.

    There doesn’t seem a fitness issue so I can only imagine that he’s not putting in enough in training?

  • Just on the train to the game, have a few pints with my son first when I get to Highbury Corner then celebrate my birthday with a convincing win over the mob from Monte Carlo…

    The line ups should make for interesting reading.

    My son just texted me and said ‘the word is Tierney starting’ 🤔

  • Happy birthday, Kev. Enjoy the Tavern (I assume you are there), the match and your sons company. Let’s hope KT can keep Akliouche quiet and get forward himself. Love his crossing of the ball.

  • Well, it is Lewis-Skelly on our left..

    Arsenal: Raya, Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Merino, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus.
    Subs: Neto, Setford, Timber, Tierney, Robinson, Heaven, Monlouis, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling, Havertz.

    Monaco: Majecki, Vanderson, Salisu, Kehrer, Henrique, Camara, Magassa, Akliouche, Ben Seghir, Golovin, Embolo.
    Subs: Kohn, Lienard, Teze, Ouattara, Nibombe, Mawissa, Matazo, Michal, Minamino, Ilenhikhena, Tincres.

  • I like our midfield with Merino and Rice in the heart, our Spanish-English engine room needs to purr tonight and protect the makeshift defence.

    We need Jesus to come good once more. 😇

  • Lovely work by Lewis-Skelly and Jesus to lay that on for Bukuyu. Couple of excellent save to deny Jesus but he looks hungry.

  • Wetherspoons, Highbury Corner, very nice Stu, full of Gooner’s…

    Yes, I was wrong, it was Myles making his first start in the Champions League, not KT and he didn’t disappoint, with the pass of the game. Maybe KT will get an opportunity vs Everton this Saturday?

    Very enjoyable day.

    Next Wednesday it’s the League Cup again so I’ll do another piece for ya Total.

  • Kev, I look forward to it.

    Except for the lack of prolificacy upfront from our central attackers, I thought it was a very good game. The Casino boys looked energetic and talented, but our boys were calm and composed, and I was impressed with our defending. Lewis Skelly did very well, and yes his pass was awesome.

  • Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Merino, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz

    Subs: Neto, Tierney, Kiwior, Partey, Jorginho, Trossard, Nwaneri, Sterling, Jesus

    Great to see Arteta trusting the youth…

  • So, MLS starts again, over KT. That certainly puts paid to Tierney’s career at this club, unless…..
    it is a big call by the manager because Everton are bound to target him seeing as he will still have the latitude for a few errors in such a game. I wish him luck, all the same.

    COYG!!

  • I wonder if it’s deliberate, you know don’t go 100% in the 1st half, let the low-block opponents use up more energy and then go full-tilt 2nd 45?

    Playing 100% for 90 minutes is exhausting and we have two games a week until the end of the season, Everton alternatively are nice and fresh and rested…

  • Everton are playing the low block so we’ll, but it’s been fine margins keeping this at 0-0.
    Arteta may need to have our wingers switch positions, even for 10 minutes to give their full backs a different kind of problem. We should be ahead by now if we can have the same efficiency on our left side as we do on the right side.

  • Been running a lot but need to see a bit more from Havertz. Merino is having an anonymous outing too. We need our artists to come on late for this one.

  • Not sure why Arteta has taken off Odegaard and Rice, at the risk of disrupting our midfield significantly. He may have figured we aren’t doing much defending so some creativity in midfield needed.

  • Listening to the radio, so hard to judge, but it sounds like we need to become more intense. Subs are interesting. Our Hungarian blog friend will have nothing to complain about. 😉

  • We in the end, we just didn’t find enough in the reserves to get the win. These are the games we banked on to get close to Liverpool, who were level 2-2 with Fulham,last time I checked. A good result for Everton, who have had a longer period of rest than we have, but it will be huge points dropped for us.

    This is why I was upset their game vs Liverpool had to be postponed. The game plan they had for that game was tested against us and it’s paid off for them.

    We have to gather ourselves together and go again. It’s all we can do now.

  • Very painful, TA. Arteta has to try switching the wingers sometimes. It unnerves the full backs a bit.

  • Interesting how the Partey foul in the box was discounted so quickly by the TV people yesterday and of course VAR followed their lead slavishly.

    Replays were shown a few times, fewer than few and the commentators disregarded the penalty appeal claiming the defender got to the ball first then their chat quickly faded away as replays seem to show it was player first but if was a case of ‘nothing to see here, move on quickly’ as we have to support VAR whatever the outcome.

    I think it was a penalty but the VAR guys bottled, supporting the referees view, given the match stats and Everton’s position in the league.

    I was surprised at how lacking in reaction the players were and Arteta for that matter, even after the game.

    VAR has in retrospect changed very little for Arsenal, we’re still well in deficit on decisions give for or against.

    On top of all that England decided to bat in Hamilton like a village team. ‘Series won, let’s not really care anymore’ seems to be the motto.

  • I feel a bit sorry for Jason Ayto because he’ll probably cop all the flak if we don’t do anything in January.

    You kinda know that a sizeable proportion of the fan base are gradually bubbling away after this seasons lack of of end result up front and are looking for the club to react and if the club fails then they’ll boil over and everyone will be in the crosshairs, Lewis, Josh, Stan, Edu, Arteta, Per and in particular Jason!

  • I wonder if Sesko will be more conducive to a move to Arsenal next month now that Leipzig has fallen away?

  • I felt it was a penalty too; one which, had the ref given it, VAR won’t overturn. But, that seems to be our lot at Arsenal. Still, our boys didn’t do enough in a creative sense to nullify the need to look to the ref/VAR for a reason for the loss. I’m not sure how Arteta is going to drag these boys out from their lethargy to face an in-form Crystal Palace side in midweek Carabao cup, but he gets paid for this. If we truly wish to go for the title, we had no business dropping points, at home, to Everton.

    Kev, is Sesko still a desired option? We need a player who can hit the ground running to help us climb up that table very quickly. I’d be looking more at Gyokeres, Olly Watson, Vlahovic and even Osimhen.

  • Yes, let’s talk cricket, Kev… 😁😇 It was good to put the pain of the first two tests behind us.

    Palace twice on the trot. Let’s hope Martins little fella quickly learns to sleep through the night. Or that the club gives him a raise so he can afford a nanny…

  • Yes Stu, let’s talk cricket indeed, England batted like a team who are mentally on the plane home, maybe in future the selectors should seriously think about making 4 or 5 changes if a series is won before a dead rubber test. Might as well shake it up…

    Of course not only did England bat terribly but New Zealand remembered that they were the team that had recently won a series in India, the umpire also joined in by giving a 50/50 decision against John Crawley! What happened to giving the batsman the benefit of the doubt?

    Stokes looks as if he ‘s out of the rest of the test, unless he bats with a runner, but it’ll probably be all over before we need to roll him out on a stretcher. Good series though, I’ve enjoyed it…

  • Chelsea could well be top of the Premier League on New Years Day!

    Now who would have thought that was possible last August?

  • Congratulations to the kids, then. I guess the club could use a bit of positive news now.
    I had worried that our cadet sides haven’t exactly been pulling up trees, from U-17 to U-21. I get it that it isn’t all about the winning at that stage, but some trophies won’t do the lads’ any harm.

  • The reason I am still hopeful of our chances of the league title is exactly the run of form that Chelsea are in now. Still a long way to go (not even half way yet) and if Chelsea can rise from the doldrums of a 12th/10th position, surely we can make up a gap as 9 points, but we’ve got to go on a run; the kind we had in the second half of last season.

  • Cup football, one off games with the prospect of a big final game at the end and a silver pot to savour.5.

    Hopefully we’ll turn up and some of those with question marks over their heads silence the detractors?

    I’m going to enjoy it anyway.

  • We beat ’em 5-0 last time we met, 7-0 in 1934, and a whole lot in between. Cup night in Norf Lunnen. I’ll be on your shoulder in spirit, Kev.

  • Kieran Tierney makes his first start for Arsenal since the 2023 Community Shield.

    He comes in as one of eight changes along with Thomas Partey, Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Ethan Nwaneri, Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus.

    Arsenal XI: Raya, Partey, Timber, Kiwior, Tierney, Jorginho, Merino, Nwaneri, Sterling, Trossard, Jesus

    Subs: Setford, Saliba, Gabriel, Kacurri, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz

    Caleb Kporha makes his first start for Crystal Palace.

    The 18-year-old defender comes in for suspended Daniel Munoz at right wing-back in the only change for the Eagles.

    Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Kporha, Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi, Mitchell, Lerma, Hughes, Eze, Sarr, Mateta.

    Subs: Turner, Clyne, Ward, Richards, Doucoure, Schlupp, Devenny, Kamada, Nketiah.

  • They are a good side, Total, in good form and will prove a tasty challenge. Good to see Mikel trusting the squad, likely with one eye on the game at Selhurst.

  • What a difference a half makes
    45 little minutes
    Jesus, Jesus and Jesus
    Our super number 9
    The first half was blue, dear
    But Jesus came through, dear
    With Odegaards help, dear
    Our super number 9

  • TA, you should know better that the Hungarian blog friend has always something to complain about. 🙂

    Nevertheless I am pretty satisfied with the line-up today; apart from Partey’s involvement at RB I think this is the way to approach the domestic cup games, so kudos to Arteta for that.

    I’m so happy for Jesus (don’t take it out of context), but Odegaard’s involvement made the difference ibn our creative play.

    I’m not sure we can overcome the 2nd place obstacle, but to be fair we are a side that is really difficult to beat. Even when we struggle, it leads only to a boring draw. I don’t see a PL or CL trophy this season, but a cup victory is very much in the cards.

  • Gabby Jesus did come through. Surely a shout for some involvement at the weekend at Selhurst Park. I have said it that Jesus is able to get the best out of Saka, Odegaard and even Martinelli, when they play together; his runs tonoght were superb, well timed and took the opposition defence unawares; and he was clinical. Is that his confidence back, or a fluke? We would find out as fixtures pile up amd Arteta uses the squad.

  • Gabby Jesus did come through. Surely a shout for some involvement at the weekend at Selhurst Park. I have said it that Jesus is able to get the best out of Saka, Odegaard and even Martinelli, when they play together; his runs tonoght were superb, well timed and took the opposition defence unawares; and he was clinical. Is that his confidence back, or a fluke? We would find out as fixtures pile up amd Arteta uses the squad.

  • I agree Eris, I would start Jesus at Selhurst Park this weekend, make the most of him whilst he’s smoking.

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