Bergkampesque

Arsenal 3 – 1 Bayern Munich

I don’t know about you, but I am still getting used to this new era of consistently good Arsenal performances and successes. They are so frequent now that we are becoming addicted to them and, like a gambling addiction, we just cannot wait for our boys to play again, to win again, to satisfy our unquenchable hunger. The team keeps delivering and with key players returning to the squad the sky seems the limit. But we need to keep our feet on the ground, of course, and focus on OGAAT only.

Last night performance against the German champions was such fantastic evidence of the true progress Arsenal have made under Arteta. Gone are the days of fearing these sort of encounters. It does of course make a big difference whether we play the likes of Atletico or Bayern at home or away, and I would like to see us taking these teams on away from Ashburton Grove rather sooner than later, but there is also the factor of home crowd expectations and pressure; and these the boys are managing ever so well these days.

Eight quick observations:

1. Rice (supported by the solid rock Zubimendi) is starting to realise that he is the one to lead this team to the final stage of its development. Systems and culture are great, teams need to play like a unconquerable team, quality players are needed and so is depth of squad, but at some point a player in midfield needs to lead a team to glory. All great teams had such a player. Declan is that player for us, and his second half performance was a statement to the rest of Europe and the PL. Rice is ready to burst to the summit.
2. Bayern tried to play their football against us, but with just two shots on goal in the entire match we can safely say that they failed. It was another demonstration of Arsenal’s ability to control games, set the tempo and (gradually) overcome an opponent. The Germans started quite strong but they soon realised that they needed something very special to crack us. Once Arsenal warmed up, we slowly became stronger and stronger and the game seemed to simply pass Bayern by the longer it took; like the boys dozed them to sleep. This is all down to Arsenal’s tactics and application of Arteta’s instructions.
3. The set-pieces looked even more impressive against players who have not experienced anything like it in the Bundesliga. If Merino had had a bit more focus and luck he would have scored a brace last night. I bet the Bayern defenders and goalkeeper will have recurring nightmares of last night’s set-piece bombardment!
4. Miles did struggle at times but I loved the way the team sensed this and made sure they doubled up as much as possible. Arteta made the right decision to sub him after 68 minutes, which did only strengthen our defence but also led to the all important second goal.
5. I thought Raya, who actually had little to do with his gloves, did very, very well with his feet. His decision-making and distribution of the ball were a joy to watch – a class apart last night.
6. Once again, we used both flanks very well, which is a huge difference to last season. Teams focus hard on Saka by denying him space and fouling him as soon as he breaks free. But we do need to feed him better balls to use him better. The good news is Odegaard is back, and we all know how well he is able to combine with Bukayo; but the big question is will he fit back in to the team now that Eze is so settled in?
7. Gabriel, who?! I really thought we would struggle more without Big Gabby, but both Hincapie and Mosquera just fit like a glove into our defence. It is quite astonishing how unaffected our defending is by the absence of such a big player as our Brazilian monster.
8. I want to finish with that smile of Madueke after he scored, AND yet another incredible CL goal by Martinelli. These boys started on the bench but what a difference they made straightaway in the game. Martinelli just seems to fly rather than run when we can break from the back, and how deadly he is every time! Noni made sure that a fine cross by Calafiori was not wasted, and I am sure that every Arsenal supporter with a human heart was as delighted as he was with his ever-so-important goal. Only good things happen to man who can beam a smile like Noni does.

By TotalArsenal.

Over a quarter of PL games played and things are looking fabulous for Arsenal. Top of the League, third highest goals scored, meanest defence, shared biggest goal difference, four points clear of nr.2, and that all with a high number of injuries in the attacking third AND trying to embed a large number of new signings!

There is a long way to go and but there are well-founded reasons for optimism. Let’s try and sum them up:

1. The obvious one, other than our current position at the top of the league, is our squad-depth. Arsenal have been praised for spending their money much better than most other PL clubs. There is quality everywhere, including the backup, and that is a necessary-luxury – to use an oxymoron – we have all dreamed of.
2. The goals are spread out and we are as unpredictable as ever when it comes to who will score in a game. Haaland FC owe 14 of their 23 PL games to the berserker. That team are over-reliant on him and a drop of form, injury or suspension is likely to cost Citeh dearly. This does not take away that we need to score more goals: 20 in 11 games is okay but not great. But Arsenal had to do without our creator exceptional, Martin Odegaard, and our inability to use either Havartz, Jesus or Madueke for most of our PL games has surely also led to a reduced goal threat.
3. Viktor Gyokeres has four PL goals which is certainly not a bad return. We all know that he does so much more for the team, and I am glad he is having a break from it all to take it all in and come out all guns blazing when he is fit again. Viktor is exactly the sort of player we were missing last season, and I am really glad he is Gunner now (sorry girlfriend).
4. A really clever move by the club was the improved contract for Leandro. He is no longer paid peanuts and he certainly is no monkey. I think he has fought very hard for making the left wing as threatening as the right wing, and that is no mean feat. His interplay with Rice and Calafiori is clever, three-dimensional and deadly, and he certainly is playing his best football (in a red and white shirt) now.
5. This also puts less pressure on Bukayo who, without Madueke available to give him a rest, needs to keep himself fit and play as efficient as he can. And as a result we have a much more balanced attack by using both wings equally. This is helped by Gyokeres’ tendency to play slightly more on our left. And when Odegaard returns we are likely to see even more balance in our attack, as he likes to play more on the right side of the pitch, with Bukayo being the biggest profiteer of this.
6. The attackers are aided significantly by the the quality wing-backs Mikel can choose from. Calafiori and Timber, MLS and White, they are all just fabulous support for overlaps and passing mates to get through those doubled/tripled-up back-areas. I am still a bit shocked when I see one of them in the box to try and finish an attacking move, but I feel this will make a real difference this season.
7. The duo of Rice and Zubimendi – RiceMendi – is a joy to watch, and there is even more to come from them. They are the complete midfielders with big football brains, and together they form a wall on which the defence and attack depend. And again, there is ample backup with Norgaard and Merino, which means that Mikel can rest our Kings-duo on a regular basis.
8. Talking about Merino, what an incredibly versatile player he is, and we are lucky to have him. It will not be easy for Arteta to keep him happy, as his fellow Spaniard is the sort of player who wants to play as many games as possible (and is in high demand). But this season Merino is super important because of his many skills and attitude, both as a starter and a sub, and he is making a big difference for us.
9. I think we are much less vulnerable to injuries this season, but Big Gabby is my only worry. He has become a real leader of the team, not just at the back but also during set-pieces. His contributions – in hard cash – are out of this world. Defensively an injury to Gabriel would be bearable, with Mosquera and Hincapie (or Calafiori) being good replacements, but the aerial threat during set-pieces AND his ability to inject energy and chutzpah into the team are almost irreplaceable.
10. Our set-pieces are works of art that sell for top-dollar straightaway. Arsenal do not play to get set-pieces – the big difference with the likes of Stoke in the past – but realise that they are part of the game and it would be a waste to not try and maximise on them. And boy do Arsenal do that. We are leading the pack on this and long may it continue.
11. Finally, I have been impressed with Eze’s contributions to the team so early on. Clearly, he needs time to settle in and understand Arteta’s style of play, but he is calm, silky, solid and just so mature by nature, and I love watching him. There is certainly even more to come. I am also happy with Nwaneri’s progress this season. He is without doubt finding his feet in the nr10 position and has not been as electric as I think he can be, but this is all part of growing from a ferocious talent to an effective squad/starting-11 player, and that is certainly the most difficult stage in a player’s career ask ESR). I think Arteta is managing this really well. My big hope is that Odegaard will return soon and play a big part in the second half of the season.

By TotalArsenal

Just four goals scored in the last three PL games and still 9 points. The reason for this is of course our mean, lean defence-machine. Open up the Arsenal laundry cupboard and you will see where Raya and co have been squirrelling away their treasured clean sheets. Make sure you’ll put sunglasses on, though, as you may be blinded by their radiant whiteness.

The depth in defence is just incredible. I have not seen Hincapie in action much, but I sense he will be awesome too. We have double cover in all five positions (including goalkeeper) and that’s so different from our squads over the last twenty years or so. The king of the defence and Set-Piece FC is Big Gabby, and Arteta needs to try and keep him fit for the whole season as he is quite irreplaceable at the moment.

The win against Palace was a vital one for which the team had to dig deep. Fulham, Atletico Madrid and Palace in just eight days was challenging, but three clean sheets and set-piece magic saw us through. There is a lot of talk about the strength of our squad, but not much is said about the fact that we have been missing four internationals for quite a while now: Madueke, Havertz, Jesus and Martin Odegaard. That is a hell of lot of creative/fire power unavailable to Mikel. I thought Bukayo and Viktor looked a bit jaded, and Eze, despite his beautifully taken goal, also lacked spark and concentration yesterday.

The Eagles are a solid team with both strength and penetration up front, and I thought the boys managed them very, very well. The Gunners won three very important points in the PL and many should now get a rest for the Brighton cup game. The next big one is on Saturday in Burnley. We don’t play that many games in the North-West any more; remember the days when we had to go up there a lot to play the likes of Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn (and Stoke)? It was never easy, was it?! If Arsenal push through now a nice gap with the likes of Citeh, Pool, Chavs and MU can be obtained. It is my experience that during the busy December schedule teams more or less gain and lose the same number of points, so now is the time to make the gap as big as possible. Burnley will be no push-overs, so our focus needs to be on that match.

Having said that, I do look forward to the Brighton game on Wednesday. This is a great opportunity to use the wider squad against a very good team that will give us a tough game. Fabian Hurzeler loves to get one over Arteta, and this competition is a great way to win some silverware for the South-Coasters.

What do you think will be our line-up?

By TotalArsenal

Momentum is such a crazy phenomenon; it can be both positive and negative, just ask Liverpool fans! I am writing this as Arsenal are flying high and have as much momentum as Max Verstappen in F1. It is all going swimmingly well but the end of momentum will come at some point, whether it is a negative or positive one. It is hard to predict when the swing will come and to know how to either avoid it or make it happen. Momentum is an untameable beast; only values, principles, discipline and humility have some control over it.

For me it is clear that the Premier League has become even stronger this season, and almost any team can spring a surprise. Look at high flying Sunderland or Brentford beating the Chavs and Pool yesterday, for example. Underestimate an opponent at your peril.

Luckily, nobody who follows football believes that Crystal Palace are an easy three points for Arsenal today. The boys will have to play at full strength and intensity to get over the line. With the 51 year old Glasner they have a very good manager who seems to make his team excel against top opponents. Yes they played and lost on Thursday but this fixture, in which they can see themselves as underdogs with something to prove, they will be up for it.

Palace are just six points behind us in the table and they will want their PL-momentum to swing back after a very strong start. In fact, over the last five PL games they gained as many points as we did, so let there be no doubt that this is a very tough encounter. This will of course be a very special game for Eze. He is still finding his feet in our team, but we can all see the quality that he possesses, and once he is settled in I think we will really benefit from his experience and maturity. I am sure most of the Palace fans will serenade him today, as not many will begrudge him the move to this Arsenal team.

The lineup has been announced, and there are no surprises (and there is of course a midweek game for the League Cup to use those who will be disappointed not to start today). Starts for Calafiori and Trossard, and the rest is as expected.

Starting Lineup:

Raya

Timber – Saliba- Gabriel – Calafiori

Rice – Zubimendi

Eze

Saka – Gyokeres – Trossard

Bench:

Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, White, Hincappie, Martinelli, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Merino, Lewis-Skelly.

That is indeed some bench there!

Anyway, enjoy the game and here is hoping for three beautiful points to move us to new heights.

By TotalArsenal.

1. Saka is truly back: Bukayo is always effective but it is fair to say he has not been his usual self since returning from his long injury. Today he was in his element again, though, and that for the whole game. By far the best player.
2. Arsenal control games these and I never felt that Fulham would score unless somebody would do something magical. That Wilson fella tried – and I like him – but the boys at the back were not to be turned.
3. Away games after international breaks are notoriously hard; usually only one or two of the 10 PL games end in an away win. Fulham are a settled and well-coached team, and they made it very, very hard for us. Winning these sort of games is vital for winning a championship, and i loved the way the team achieved this today. To play with this level of focus so soon after the international break is quite something.
4. Legall correctly wrote in the last post that we are very reliant on Bukayo for making things happen. Against a low block team like Fulham we missed Martin Odegaard and Madueke quite a bit. I felt this was also a game for Ethan Nwaneri, but he wasn’t used… Has he lost Arteta’s confidence in him temporarily?
5. Eze and Gyokeres are still finding their way into the team, but for now their work rate and passion compensate for a lack of ‘final product’. I love these guys.
6. it’s really interesting how Trossard and Martinelli are not guaranteed a start in most games, but either of them continue to make the hard difference game after game whether they start or come on as a sub.
7. How close was Calafiori to a goal today? He has a good sense for where he can be at his most dangerous and was so unlucky for his superb goal to be ruled out for off site.
8. Final observation is for that triangle of calm force and grace that is Raya, Big Gab and Big Will. They never panicked and just formed the base for another clean sheet. We are so lucky to have all of them on brilliant long contracts.

By TotalArsenal

The hardest games for Arsenal have often been the ones that beforehand were believed to be easy. West Ham, although victors at Ashburton Grove in recent years, are feeling low and our boys are on a high, so there was a risk of this game being seen as ‘easy’. Luckily Arteta and the boys never treated the game as such, and a professional AND passionate performance led to a clean sheet and two goals to the good guys.

I am a huge fan of Nuno, one of the most gentle and capable managers in the PL who is often treated badly by club owners and chairmen for some reason (I can give you one but that would not be suitable on this blog). Let”s hope he is allowed to settle in in East London as the fans will no doubt come to love him just as much as they did in Nottingham.

Unable to watch the 3pm kick-off game on Saturday, I opted to listen to Arsenal.com’s radio commentary. The commentators did a fab job as always albeit it bit more negative than usual, I thought. As a result, when I finally got to see the whole game on Monday, I wasn’t expecting too much. But I was actually pleasantly surprised about the quality, intensity and passion of our football.

Four Observations:

1. Full Backs with wings and freedom to roam: Timber and Calafiori had total freedom to go were they liked, it seemed. Very late on in the first half, there was an attack were Timber was in the box to aim at goal and Calafiori was right behind him to have a crack at goal himself; and he was unlucky not to score! The Italian and Dutchman were totally involved in our midfield and attacking play and I don’t think the Hammers knew how to deal with them. The link up play with their ‘wingers’ was impressive throughout the game and I look forward to seeing more of this in coming games.
2. Something up with the Norwegian Viking. It was another sad sight when Martin had to leave the field because of injury. I do worry about the lad; he has not been looking well for quite a while, so gaunt and white looking and playing without his usual smile (except for the game v Olympiacos). Something is not quite right and I wonder whether the various injuries he has suffered in recent months are the cause of it. Let’s hope for a swift return to both fitness and happiness.
3. Your castle will shake to the core on all corners and at its heart! I loved the way we used both wings v the Hammers and how hard Gyokeres worked to keep both CBs busy and create space for his friends in red and white. Our right wing is certainly our strongest when Saka plays, but I thought Leandro had a fabulous game on the left. The Belgian is slowly starting to develop a relationship with Gyo and together, with the help of the likes of Calafiori, Eze and Rice, they can make our left wing as strong as our right one. I noticed how we did not move the ball from right to left and left to right all the time but opted sometimes to play with sustained pressure on one wing for a longer time than usual. Our first goal came exactly from this approach: it looked like we had given up on the right and were about to move to our left, but then we went right again and there was space and enough players to then hurt the Hammers. It was a fabulous finish by Declan who is getting better in every game.
4. Odegaard out, Zubi out – no problem. It is said that Arsenal have no weaknesses anymore, and I think this is almost true. What Gyokeres is doing for us is amazing and I don’t think anybody else can do this except for the still injured Havertz. He cajoles, sprints, harasses and creates chaos and space for 90 minutes and it is making a real, huge, massive difference (and don’t worry about his goal count). What was amazing is that when Odegaard had to go off we did not suffer much at all. Zubi came on and calmly took control together with Rice and Eze. The Spaniard had both pre-assists for the goals we scored (one leading to the penalty), and I still cannot believe he picked us over Alonso’s Real Madrid. In previous seasons, when it came to creativity/making things happen from midfield, our opponents would focus on just Odegaard and maybe Rice when he was played in a more advanced position. But now we also have Eze and Zubimendi in the mix, and then the crazy, free as the wind full backs will also join in…. It’s just magic.

Four Questions (assuming 4-3-3 lineup):

1. Who are your ideal three players in midfield (1-2 or 2-1) when we play the top teams, and when we play weaker teams who will opt for a low block, and why?
2. Who are your ideal three players up-front when all are fit and available and we will play a crucial game against a top PL or CL team, and why?
3. Which three Arsenal players have impressed you the most until now, and why?
4. What is your ideal-11 combining the current squad with those of the Invincibles?

By TotalArsenal.