Arsenal started with a bang; some of the most beautiful passes and combos you will ever see were produced on a billiard’s tablecloth at Ashburton Grove. Martin Odegaard played like he was just released from jail and he certainly made us think of the days that the likes of Bergkamp, Fabregas and Ozil used to light up October Champions League nights just like that.
Our attackers loved the service, and had they been playing more aligned who knows what the score would have been. Luckily, Gyokeres and Martinelli managed to get at least one of the many chances that came their and Trossard’s way over the line in the first half. The lack of connection and wastefulness of our attackers somehow allowed the Greeks back into the game, and they did enough to deserve an away goal. Luckily, Raya is addicted to clean sheets – he just likes to sniff them – and he was not to be breached!
During the second half Arsenal lacked leadership and on-field management to take control back. But Arteta has big bazookas on the bench these days, and by adding the likes of Rice, Eze and Saka he simply turned the pressure back on the warriors of Piraeus with even more firepower.
Saka is perhaps the best player at Arsenal who knows how to capitalize on Odegaard’s service, and it did not take him long to find the net and settle nerves/the game. Super Bukayo Saka had given the Norwegian captain a great opportunity to become the absolute hero of the game moments before, but Martin simply is much more of a creator than a salesman. Saka is Mr Efficient and we are very, very luckily to have him.
By TotalArsenal.
Bergkampesque 
From BBC, Mikel on Odegaard
Odegaard had a hand in both goals, scored by Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, and manager Arteta has given the 26-year-old “total freedom” to show off his talent after a disrupted start to the season with a shoulder injury.
“I think that creativity is his nature,” said the Spaniard. “It doesn’t bring any pressure to him as it is his best ability to generate things that not a lot of players can do.
“He has my total freedom from my side to explore and take risks and to feel the movement in how he generates spaces – and he has done that the last two games.”
Hear, hear.
Thanks Total. MO8 is cert’s heading in the direction you describe, listing him alongside, DB10, Ozil and Cesc. He has an eye for a pass that is, now KDB has gone, unprecedented in the EPL. Are we not blessed to have him, Eze and Ethan as our composers.
Out of interest, if we were to play a Champions League final tomorrow, what would be your starting line up?
Big weekend for my ladies. Title decider in the last game of the season on Sunday arvo.
If all are available..
Raya
Timber, Sal, Gab, Cala
Zubi – Ode – Rice
Saka – Gyo/Hav – Eze
Hard choice between the Swede and German. Madueke is a hard one to leave out, though.
What about you/other bloggers?
Hope your team wins 🏆
“Tragedy avoided” may sound dramatic but it would have been a huge downer had we not got that win. For some strange reason, I was happy the game was not the stroll in the park many expected. Such games keep the players grounded and the fans humble.
We got the goal we needed and managed to stay in control, despite the visitors huffing and puffing in phases; of course, they had a couple of good chances which Raya did brilliantly to deny them a goal, till the Ode Saka combo settled things.
I wish Odegaard an injury free season, going forward, which means I wish the team trophies too, because the man is crucial to whatever we are going to achieve this season.
David has been so brilliant and consistent for us that, tbh, I just took his “Podense” save in stride, no fuss needed, no jumping off the couch either, just Raya-business-as-usual … I think I now take for granted that whenever a goal opportunity slips through our Back Wall, he’ll just routinely bail us out of it … What an amazing GK this boy is, high up there with David S., Jens, Lukic in our pantheon imo.
Last summer I had watched Norway trample Italy under foot, under the direction of our skipper, who had looked rejuvenated, reborn, to me … I must say that – of course I hadn’t written him off completely – but after last season I had started wondering if he was not plateauing, trying out the same old tricks, but a little slower, in an uninspired kind of way; those circles he went around in with the ball at his feet ended up setting my teeth on edge.
It’s obvious now that he was very far from being fit to play the games he played for us last season, he only did so because of the length of our injury list, and what I saw then was only the shadow of the player he actually is. The creator whose passes I saw illuminating Norway’s attacks, after toying with Italy’s midfielders and defenders, is now back in an Arsenal shirt, so that sky seems to be the limit for this 2025-2026 red-and-white bunch indeed.
Having said that it was Eberechi who produced the one moment of beauty this game will stick in my memory for. That long pass he delivered from the left to Bukayo, over the Athenian midfield, was yet another signature stroke of the brush of the unique artist this boy is. You could tell that Bukayo’s instinct urged him to adjust, to step aside, or forward just a few inches but, out of respect for the purity of the ball’s trajectory, he held it back and just stayed put, waiting for the ball to gently fall on his foot – like that feather fell, as it was always meant to, at Forrest Gump’s foot in the opening sequence of the movie.
The time is near when these long balls will not only be things of beauty, but will also turn into as many assists for our Swedish buffalo upfront … Starting tomorrow?
Nice spot on Eze, Legall. Zubi also had a couple.
It was certainly the game for brilliant through balls, passes and crosses. A red and white masterclass.
Tuchel the Tank Engine makes some brave decisions…
BBC:
England have recalled Bukayo Saka for next week’s matches against Wales and Latvia, but there is no place for Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden or Jack Grealish.
4-1-2-3?!
Come on you RR Gunners!
Morning fella’s. Nice to see two eights starting the game, shame about MO8.
1-0 to The Arsenal !!
Greatly deserved of course. We had at least 4 very clear goal opportunities, including a goal denied (I would have loved a VAR review of it, but what was I thinking, hoping such a thing from the PGMOL?), and a shot that hit the base of a goalpost (well done Cala) …
Downside is we still look unbalanced. Absolutely everything worth a mention comes from the right, we rely as heavily as ever on Bukayo’s form … but how could it be otherwise? Cala takes this inverted FB role very seriously, so much so that he is everywhere but … on his wing, where Trossard stands marooned, waiting for the ball to drift around somehow.
Jurrien has been immense again; once Zubi was brought on I found his connection with Eberechi appealing, and one of his wonderful, perfectly weighed through balls started the move which ended up with Declan’s goal. I keep expecting more from Will, against sides that sit that deep, but I guess he does what he’s told to do … As for Gyö – well, of course he needs time but how easily an average pair of PL CBs control him is a bit worrying, isn’t it?
Martin off is very bad news – the knee curse has us under its spell, will it ever end?
I’d love to see Ethan and Myles brought on, their youthful energy would prevent us from the risk of an “intensity-drop”, but with or without them there’s no way we’re not going to wrap things up successfully …
COYG
Top of the table on Mikel’s 300 games in charge (and Saka’s 200th), at least fir a few hours.
On the balance, you would have thought it would be more, but it is all about the 3 points, for now.
Fine observations, LG. I think the “balance” issue will resolve itself when we have both Madueke and Saka fit. To be fair, Trossard doesn’t make it easy for himself since he is not one who will look to beat his man for the cross or switch play. He rather cuts inside or goes to midfield.
Gyokeres is still a mystery. He works hard, takes pressure off Saka and Trossard (hard to double up on Saka these days, with Gyo to worry about) but hasn’t truly got too many clear chances for us to see how he finishes. It will come. By the way, Mavropanos is a very good man marking defender. He is a big guy himself.
The kind of wins titles are built on, I guess. At least this season’s won’t have been lost at home against them, which is something.
We might as well call our lads the CSB – Clean Sheet Bunch – yet another one today, what a fortress they are, the kind all great teams have always relied on.
I found Ethan excellent, I hope he’ll be given more minutes from now on.
Let’s hope Martin’s knee fright will turn out to be just that … fright, but frightful enough for him to stay in London during this interlull anyway.
You lucky lads who were able to watch the game today. Radio for me so have to wait with my analysis.
These so called easy games do often worry me, so I’m happy with the threw points. I am even happy with another interlul to start on Monday.
TOTL We are TOTL
Made it, Ma, top of the world!
Dear Santa/Father Berta,
I’m Duc, I live in Normandy and I’m writing to you on behalf, not only of me, but also of my dear buddies at bergkampesque.com.
We’ve been very good this year, even though one of us has thrown a tantrum at us lately, and has been giving us the silent treatment ever since. But even him you can forgive; I suspect he knew I was about to write to you and the thing is he’s a bit jealous because he knows I find his cabbie to be nowhere near as gorgeous as your sleigh and your reindeers – he loves his cabbie a lot, so I’m sure you won’t bear any grudge against him.
Anyway, we won’t ask you anything for Christmas day proper, but there is something – someone – we’d like very much to be brought down into our beloved Arsenal Football Club’s chimney when the winter transfer window starts very soon after – January 1st.
I hope you’re not jealous yourself, because I am to remind you that the Brazilian Santa we had before you delivered us a wonderful gift of his own in 2023. He’s called Jurriën and the more he plays for us the more addicted to his top-level performances we’ve become. It so happens that Jurriën’s parents were so convinced of having produced the perfect offspring that they had him duplicated – they named the duplicate Quentin, and he’s the one we’d love to be the gift from you to us.
We know you spoilt us already last summer, but we believe with Quentin on top of the eight signings you got us then, there’s no way we’ll have to ask you anything again before a long, long time, surfing on a never ending wave of success as we will be, in the years ahead.
Thank you Father Berta,
the BK/DB10 buddies
And Saint Nick, if you have room in your sack and you can fit him down the chimney, we’d also like Kevski delivered back to us. No wrapping or ribbons needed, just a plain ol’ cabbie who loves The Arsenal, and banters with the best.
Song for Kev: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hic-dnps6MU
Nice one, Duc Norman. The other Timber is indeed a good player but injury-prone I am afraid. Where would you play him?
Seems we have lost both Kev and PB. It’s getting more and more quieter, but I know that many people are still reading, so let’s curry on.
Happy Invincibles Day fellow Gooners!
A happy anniversary, indeed, Total. What joy they gave us, a potent blend of pragmatism, power and beauty. This present team/squad have all the elements to offer us the same. As an exercise to get us thru’ the interlull, how about posting a best combined X1 from the Invincibles and the present team.
I’d go with a 4-2-3-1 ….
Raya
Timber Saliba Gabriel Cole
Viera Rice
Saka Bergkamp Pires
Henry
Another reason for joy: Kerikeri Women’s Premiers are Champions of Northland after yesterdays 2-0 win over rivals Tikipunga.
Hard to argue with your picks, Stu.
Sol was very, very good. Gilberto was vital to the team but so is Rice.
Congratulations on your team’s achievements. How many leagues are got women’s football and in which league/what level does yours play? Are they now promoted?
Hi Total
Yup, Sol and Gilberto were magnificent. As was Freddie. Let’s have them on the bench.
The Northern Federation Premier League is what our women have won. We have the option of now entering a team into the Auckland league, but this will entail huge distances of travel, and will not suit our ladies, many of whom are mothers and business women. Some really talented Kerikeri players play for North Force, a team entered into the Auckland League. They are mainly young women, who are unencumbered by family commitments, able and willing to travel an hour to training twice a week and four hours to Auckland for games.
Tbh I was first and foremost looking for news ways of praising J.’s performances in the red-and-white, T., I’ve been running out of them
But I do like Quentin a lot, I really do, and thing is I think Nørgaard might be the one in the squad getting very little playing time this season. If that’s indeed the case PL sides will come knocking – I can think of many who could do with such a talented DM -, so that ideally – for me – Quentin would fill the gap next season …
That’s many”ifs”, I know …
Did you watch the game, T.; if yes what did you make of it?
Champions in the yellow-and-blue (I guess) … Congrats to the ladies, Stu; and thank them for the memories of FA cup triumphs it brings back to my mind, too.
I did this morning, Duc de Normandy. Will write something soon.
New post 🙂