Tag: soccer

PSV 1 – 7 NO CFs Arsenal

There are many good reasons to love the beautiful game, and it is especially its ability to spring a surprise that makes it such an endearing sport. Let’s face it, we all would have taken a 1-0 to the Arsenal, or even a draw from last night’s encounter with the Dutch champions. With no CFs available and no goals against the Hammers and the Tricky Trees in recent CL encounters, who would have thought Arsenal would hit the net nine times of which seven were deemed legitimate? I really think we are on to something special with Arteta and Arsenal, but it is all about evolution and we may not see the full potential for another couple of years (or more). Every season, the team grows stronger and what is so typical of this season is that Arsenal are now capable of big results such as the 5-1 v Man City and now the 1-7 v PSV. The PL title has Pool’s name on it, as they are as good as Arsenal and have just been much more lucky than us. I can live with that. The CL is a hard competition to win, but Arsenal are thriving in it and the European teams seem to suit our style of play really well. With the likes of Saka and Martinelli to return sooner or later, Arsenal may well spring a surprise and overcome one of the Madrid giants in the next round.

Eight Observations:

1. Facing Arsenal cannot be easy for opponents. Who to focus on in terms of goal threat? With six different scorers, more than half the team, Arsenal must have been so hard to read for the PSV defence. I love this! Everyone has a responsibility to assist and to score (and to defend); it’s what total football is all about. Our full backs epitomise this. They are such athletes and have an incredible skillset. MLS produced a peach of an assist, Timber rose higher than Haaland to score the opener, and Calafiori scored a beautiful diagonal across the keeper. PSV were utterly bamboozled by the omnipresent goal-threat of the mighty Arsenal.
2. Arsenal have their jet-engines back! Rice and Odegaard were the big difference between Arsenal and PSV. The Eindhovenaren have very decent midfielders at their disposal; they certainly made the difference v Juventus in the epic games they played against them. But it was boys against men last night, with Partey and Rice dominating the base of midfield and Rice and Odegaard also bossing the area in front of PSV’s ‘D-area’. Partey is having a great season but, as per previous post, if Declan and Martin can keep their newly found mojo going we are in for a treat. If you want to know the difference between the Premier League and Eredivisie, it’s all about intensity and time on the ball. Arsenal’s intensity and tempo were insane and Rice and Odegaard were just too much for sorry PSV.
3. Ethan! The embodiment of elegant deadliness. Pundits don’t dare to say it out loud, but yes there is something Messy-esque about his style and ability. Can you believe that Arsenal have both Saka and Nwaneri in their team and they both come from our own Academy?! Ooh to BE.
4. Merino is such a good buy. The sort of player who can play everywhere and will do his utmost to shine. He has taken on the Kai-role with real verve and now has three goals in four games. But it’s his ability to be everywhere and influence play that I like especially about him.
5. The full-backs Timber and MLS did not impress me with their defensive tasks last night. Miles cannot make such full-on tackles when already on a yellow card (against one of the UEFA darlings he would have been sent off for it), and Justin made it far too easy for opponents to cross into the box – this was the only weakness in our defence. I will need to watch the game again to see whether Ethan and also Partey and Saliba could have helped him more, but it was too easy for PSV to attack us at the right side of our defence.
6. Combine the qualities of an elephant and a giraffe and you will get the CB-duo of Saliba-Gabriel: defensive powerhouses.
7. I was especially pleased with the second half performance. It would have been natural to sit back after Arsenal scored the fifth goal but the boys remained ravenous for 90+ minutes. Arteta and the players deserve all the credits for this.
8. My final observation goes to our Belgian winger. Boy did he work his socks off yesterday and what an allround quality performance we got from Trossard. That was one of his best performances in an Arsenal shirt.

By TotalArsenal.

“Over my dead body!”. Arteta taught me a lesson this week.

I know that I am not the only one who has mentally surrendered the league to the Liverpudlians. It follows my somewhat Stoic mindset of lowering expectations and only focus on what I can influence. If I project this onto my beloved Arsenal, then it makes sense to believe that all the setbacks on the injury front and odd but devastating refereeing interventions, as well as Liverpool having a near faultless season in the post Klopp era, just means that this is not going to be our season.

Yet this way of thinking is exactly what the League leaders want everybody to adopt. Giving up now means that they can cruise to the title and maybe even win the CL in the process. Arsenal were on a good run but let it slip against the Hammers. West Ham do this now and again to a top team. We really could not afford dropping these three points, but it is only a game. Many more to come and giving up is not an option. “Over my dead body”, indeed.

Do I expect Pool to slip up? Not really, but we all love football’s ability to spring a surprise, and if the Scousers do slip up Arteta is the man to get the team firing on all cylinders again. It would be a miracle if Mikel can get this non-firing team – both in attack and in midfield – to do so.

Clearly, he needs a different approach to the low-block teams coming to the home of football. We just have not got the weapons to crack those defences at the moment. Odegaard and Sterling lack form, Trossard is best suited as our super-sub and has not got the same penetration speed as Martinelli, Ethan is good but obviously still learning. Morino, Rice and Partey are all not natural attackers. It is a tough one, right now, but with a clean sheet in each game a single goal will suffice. So maybe the team should sit deep(er) for the rest of the season and aim to win ugly for a while. Arsenal have the meanest defence in the League, so let’s build on this strength.

The real area of concern, but also opportunity, is our midfield. I just cannot grasp why the likes of Rice and Odegaard have just not been able to dominate this area much, much more. Partey is having a relatively fantastic season, but Declan and Martin are just not playing anywhere near their abilities. It is not for a lack of effort as both try their hardest to overcome their lack of form this season. Declan suffered with fatigue after the Euros and Martin suffered from a bad injury. When you look at their faces you can see the despair at times.

I love these boys because they really, really care. If Mikel can somehow get these two to their top level, I think we will have a beautiful end to the season (whether that means silverware or not). Easier said than done. Maybe it is time to bring an Arsenal Legend to the club to coach them. The blog’s name will give you a clue who I think is ideal for this, but Freddie or Robert would also be fine. The club needs to do everything to get these two pivotal midfielders to shine again…. Any ideas?

By TotalArsenal

No team I believe, had lost by 2 goals (or more) in the 1st leg of a League Cup Semi Final and actually managed to get through to Wembley – and that stat still remains after a near perfect performance by Newcastle this evening. They were aggressive, left a bit on our players and generally roughed us up.

Arsenal had previously lost 3 of the last 4 matches with Newcastle so this fixture is becoming a bit problematic for Arteta, who maybe needed a slightly different approach, but Mikel leaned into his inner Arsene and we pretty much played our usual way, but as good as we were against Man City we were this evening unfortunately poor.

Saliba had arguably his worst game of the season, Gabriel was rattled, Raya seemed edgy, Havertz was ineffective, I could go on but it’s seems churlish to pile into the team after such a great performance vs Man City, it was the perfect storm for the Geordies with the Newcastle fans creating a raucous atmosphere as Isak and Gordon made the most of the acres of space afforded them by us to run into.

I felt we created a lot more problems for ourselves by allowing Newcastle to get under our skin, by being too open at the back and making poor passing decisions and executions that ultimately led to turnovers. Martinelli had made some progress on the right jinking one way then the the other trying to create an opening, then he carelessly gave away cheap possession and Newcastle were off like greyhounds, a cross-field pass found Isak pulling away from Gabriel and his powerful shot blasted past a helpless Raya. Fortunately VAR came to our rescue and the goal was ruled out, but the warning was there, we had to take note and treat the ball like an old friend.

Newcastle were pressing us all over the pitch but after some patient approach work we opened them up, a sliding doors moment again. Some passing in the penalty area presented Odegaard with the chance to change the whole balance of play, to create some uncertainty in the Geordie fans and make the Newcastle players nervous. He should have scored, but screwed his shot wide and just as Havertz had missed that chance at the Emirates it was costly.

From the goal kick the long ball found its way to Gordon who flicked it onto Isak who took the ball in his stride and with Saliba flailing he blasted his shot past Raya. Fortunately it hit the post and flew across to the other side of the penalty area, Gabriel briefly hesitated and Murphy pounced to put it into an empty net. So in a matter of minutes what should have been an aggregate score of 2-1 was instead 3-0, and that was a mountain to climb.

Shortly afterwards Trossard had a chance, but his shot lacked bite and  Dubravka saved. That was it from an Arsenal attacking sense until the last few minutes of the game. Arsenal have failed to score against Newcastle in 3 of their last 4 games and so it proved again. Newcastle smothered anything Arsenal tried to create, our passing, so crisp against City, was ragged and we sorely missed the magic of Saka.

Martinelli went down with what looked like a hamstring and Nwaneri came on in the 37th minute to replace him, it just wasn’t our night!

Newcastle comfortably saw off Arsenal’s attempts of a comeback and went off at half time with a spring in their step.

We needed a miracle, a quick goal second half to inspire a revival, there was still hope, but that was quickly extinguished as Raya, faultless in so many games made that error you kinda dread with the style we now employ. Pressed energetically, he played a suicidal pass to Rice who lost the ball before it arrived and Gordon turned it home and with that ‘hope’ got onto the next train to Kings Cross Station.

All that was left was for Arteta was to make a few subs and not to let it turn into a catastrophe. Odegaard who had struggled came off and Trossard who’d been the recipient of a few hearty kicks joined him, on came Merino and Sterling. They did steady the ship but a comeback was a pipe dream although us scoring would have been good.

For Newcastle it was game management after their 4th goal on aggregate, the game was won and they generally managed the game better than Arsenal. The Gunners kept fighting as we always do. California came on for Timber and Jorginho for Partey, and close to the end Lewis Skelly probably should have scored with his head from a corner, but it wasn’t our night and that’s how it goes sometimes.

Trippier, Bruno, Tonali and Schar, in fact most of the barcodes turned up the volume on the dark arts, trying to get Lewis Skelly, Gabriel and Rice into trouble – I was dreading another red card, we didn’t deserve that, but our boys kept their heads and Myles came out of the game with a lot of credit, Ethan also had a decent game, Rice toiled away and supported Myles when that turd Trippier tried to provoke him, Myles just smiled as he always does – I love that boy.

As disappointing as the game was it was always going to be a tough assignment. In truth we lost the tie at the Emirates – but Arteta also needs to come up with a new approach to the deep block, don’t ask me what but he’s gotta find it? We’re great when we’ve got space to run into as was the case against City, but this was the reverse, I’m not sure that even Isak would have looked half as good if he’d been up against his own defence tonight?

The boys gave it everything tonight, you cannot fault their effort or their endeavour but it just wasn’t clicking and our attack, as we already know, is badly in need of some reinforcements. Anyway, off you go to Dubai you lucky lads and hopefully bring a fit Ben White and Tomiyasu back to the U.K. with you…

By Allezkev

Arsenal 5 – 1 Man City

Eight observations from a tremendous win that was a long-time coming.

1. An early goal in a top game is often a mixed blessing. All the preparations paid off almost instantly, and what to do after that? You’d say keep going as before but it somehow does not seem that simple. The opponent got an instant kick under the Arsenal and will have got their focus sorted. Arsenal simply sat back too much. At first, it was effective enough as the great ponytailed berserker was isolated and as harmful as a hushpuppy. Raya was our master in goal during this period, and I think the little midweek break did him a world of good. But gradually Arsenal lost their intensity and purpose, and sooner or later a team will pay for this. We did, but…. then we responded.
2. Every team needs luck, and we got it with the wicked deflection from Partey’s shot on target. It left the keeper with no chance. What was not luck is that our boys once again benefited from a studied and pounced on weakness in the way Man City play out from the back. It was an attacking masterclass from Havertz, Odegaard, Rice and co.
3. How I love Thomas Partey this season. What a player we have here, and I wonder whether the club should try and sign him up for another few years. He gets it and was the best, most intelligent midfielder on the pitch. I think yesterday he played the most Vieira-esque I have ever seen him play. Crisp attacking passing, many interceptions, such physical presence, and master of transition.
4. Rice grew into the game and at the end he was magnificent. He just makes me think of an AudiA4: reliant, sturdy, no-nonsense, and he enjoys himself more the longer he is running. Nothing too sexy, just blood, sweat and tenacity. On that note, and as Stu mentioned yesterday, is there a better midfield in the PL than Rice, Partey and Odegaard right now?
5. Miles Lewis-Skelly, what a tiger we have here! His confidence on the ball is surreal for such an age; his ability to transition with the ball from defence to midfield is so impressive; and then he had the skill and confidence to score that goal, and then celebrate with that iconic celebration to make the humiliation complete. That will teach you Erling to poke the mighty Cannon.
6. Has there ever been an Arsenal player who both frustrates and delights as much as Kai does? And as such, is he not the epitome of all of us humans? A work horse, a group of hyenas in one body, a bear in the box, a dreamer and believer: Havertz is all of this; and I love him for it. Missing big chances comes as a price with all of this, but the bigger picture is that he is a vital player in Arteta-ball.
7. Ethan, Ethan, how sweet is your left foot? You can certainly curl it like Bukayo. Who would have thought that Arsenal would win today 5-1 without a top CF – will one arrive today? – and Bukayo and Jesus out of action? The likes of Miles and Ethan give Arsenal that extra level of energy, quality and excitement, and how Citeh would love to have the same right now!
8. My final ‘obeservation’ goes to Martinelli. This was a very mature performance by a player who has quietly become a complete footballer. We need more goals from him of course, but yesterday he worked for the team all over the pitch for 90 minutes, and the most important thing he did was to allow Havertz to score rather than selfishly take a shot himself. That was class and sealed the game once and for all.

By TotalArsenal.

One more PL game to go in January and then we can make up the balance. Arsenal have done very well but so have Pool (and Forest), and so we have not been able to close the gap with the League leaders. Given the injuries and the high number of games the boys have played, I think we could not have asked for more of them. The intensity and hunger to win has been very impressive, and you only have to look at the sorry Mancs, Chavs or Spuds to know how different it all could be for us, right now.

Of course the media makes us fans perpetually unhappy with their narrative of failure to catch up with Liverpool, but the Merseysiders are simply doing very well, and if they continue this run of form we should all say ‘Chapeau!’ to them at the end of the season. For me the most important thing is that we consolidate our position among our competitors, and, ideally, improve slowly but surely. Being a strong contender to finish in the top four again should not be pooh-poohed by anybody. This is THE big first achievement by Arteta in the post-Wenger era. Arsene, the old romantic, had us play fabulous football in an era when this was still possible. Mourinho, and then Klopp and Guardiola, have changed the scenery significantly, and Mikel is our answer to both being competitive again and play football the Arsenal way.

I think it is fair to say we are not as good as last season and that’s why Pool are getting away with it. The main reason for this: untimely and area-concentrated injuries, and lacking that bit of luck at times (and rubbish refereeing of course).

Our right side, our strongest area by far in previous seasons, has had so many injury set-backs. Odegaard missed many games, White has hardly featured this season, and super-Saka is of course well-missed too.

The left side has lacked continuity too. I have no doubt that Arteta ideal three on the right are: Calafiori, Rice and Martinelli, but for various reasons they have not had many games together. Having said that Lewis-Skelly has been phenomenal as a stand in for the Italian stallion, (and so has Nwaneri on the right wing). It proves again that, as Big William of Strafford Upon Avon once put it, adversities can have their sweet uses.

Through the middle Arsenal are also still looking for the right balance. Partey has been superb in midfield; his best season donning our shirt. Rice keeps threatening to find his mojo and I think he is getting there now. I love him just for trying so hard. Exactly the same can be said about Odegaard and Kai (despite his sometimes frustrating demeanour) and Merino. I will never stop supporting players who give their all and care about the club, and these are exactly the sort of players Mikel has either attracted, developed or both.

I believe in these boys and the manager. We could really do with some fresh, experienced blood in attack, but let’s not just get a body/name. Getting this next CF signing absolutely right is paramount now (especially with Jesus’ sad and so unfortunate long injury).

Anyway, let’s just focus on the next game and forget about the rest. All the team ever can do is try and win the next game. Ooh to Be.

Thank you Mikel for working your socks every day and putting our beloved team back up there. The future is bright, the future is red and white.

By TotalArsenal.

By now most of you would have read the varied opinions of all the wind-up merchants and bad actors who come out of hiding whenever Arsenal lose, we all know them and by and large we have the common sense to ignore them – many unfortunately don’t!

Ok, where to begin, one game doesn’t make a season but alternatively some individual games can break a season and we might have just suffered one of those.

Let’s not beat around the bush, after the referee influenced dropped points at City, Bournemouth and at home to Brighton you couldn’t help but feel that this wasn’t going to be our season in the Premier League, it just happens that way.

Then the injuries to Odegaard and then Saka, both huge body blows that only somebody gaslighting could ignore. We saw how losing Saliba in 2022/23 derailed that season, we’ve seen how injuries to Van Dyke and  Rodri/De Bruyne affected Liverpool and Man City in recent and current seasons so why should anyone think it wouldn’t affect Arsenal?

And then there was the virus, ok this sounds like excuses and yes they are, viable excuses that have influenced our season.

But as it stood yesterday, despite all the issues, Arsenal were still 2nd in the EPL, comfortably situated in the CL, home to a Man Utd team that didn’t know whether it was Arthur or Martha in the FACup and in the LCSF, not bad for a club in ‘crisis’…

Newcastle came to the Emirates without Bruno in midfield, they’d never won when he was absent before but they were in hot form and Botman was fit to start so defensively they were strong. The Newcastle fans took up most of the Clock End so no Ashburton Army and not as energetic an atmosphere from the home fans as you’d expect in such an important game.

Arteta picked a really competitive team, Havertz was back and Timber returned after suspension, Sterling was on the bench along with Jesus. Trossard operated in the Saka role and worked hard but it wasn’t his night, Martinelli should have scored, but lets be blunt here, how confident do you feel when he’s running at goal, do you expect him to score because I don’t? Well he hit the post and that reminded me of the Merino miss at Brighton, sliding doors, a goal that can change the whole outcome of a tight game, Martinelli missed, Isak did not.

Newcastle were resolute in defence and dangerous in attack, this wasn’t a game that Arsenal could dominate, Timber headed over and Saliba came close with a low shot that the enormous Dan Burn got his basketball frame in to block. Odegaard was not at the top of his game and Havertz looked like he’d just got over a debilitating illness although to his credit he played the entire game.

Newcastle took the lead as the 1st half drew to a close, a long ball by the Geordie goalkeeper sailed (just) over the head of Saliba, it pin-balled around as red and black boots challenged for it and then, there it was, somehow at the feet of Isak in front of goal with just Raya to beat and he rifled it into the roof of the net. He didn’t make a meal of his celebration, maybe with an eye on the summer perhaps, but the hope just seemed to ebb away from the home fans. We were struggling to score and Newcastle know how to kill a game, it’s a storyline we’ve seen before.

Saliba and Gabriel had been below par, Partey was invisible, Rice was working manfully, Martinelli was running, Timber played well but I wonder was this a game for Ben White? Lewis Skelly was the star for me 1st half, this kid is a baller.

Half-time and it was a subdued queue for the toilet and refreshments.

The 2nd 45 began brightly, Arsenal pushed deep into the Newcastle half but after only 6 minutes Newcastle countered, Partey was on his heels as Isak shot across Raya who made a good save but Gordon followed in the rebound with Timber slow to react, it was a killer. Both Newcastle goals had an element of fortune but they were also very simple in their execution, one touch, no over elaboration, just clinical.

Newcastle had been hunting down the red shirts in packs all game and that went up a notch as they switched to ‘what we have we hold’ mode or 4 5 1. But the Gunners opened them up, a deflected Trossard cross looped up and Havertz stole in to head us back into the game, or that’s what should have happened but he misjudged his header and the ball bounced wide via his shoulder, it was gut wrenching.

Arteta then took off the ineffective Partey and Trossard for Jorginho and Jesus, still no Stirling, how fit was he? Saliba headed over from a corner following some more scrambles in the Newcastle area, Willock was playing as if his life depended on the result, Dan Burn was all over Gabriel at corners desperately trying to exchange shirts before the final whistle.

The last 20 minutes was basically Newcastle showing an appreciation of how Arsenal defended at Man City earlier in the season, a lot of scrambles, some determined defending and a lot of effort by Arsenal trying to get a goal back. Jorginho came closest with a drive that just went over the bar, but that elusive Arsenal goal that would keep this tie alive, wouldn’t come.

Apparently no team has lost a League Cup semi-final 1st Leg by 2 or more goals and reached Wembley so the portents don’t look great. Can Arsenal do it at St James’s Park, well yeah of course we can, we can win 2-0 and go through on penalties or win 3-0 but Newcastle are experts at killing games and if we concede up there it’s over.
So whilst it’s not over yet it’s also not an ideal scenario.

Arsenal didn’t play badly but we lacked a bit of zip, Newcastle defended well and took their chances, we fluffed ours, it’s disappointing because this is a competition we could and should be winning, because we need some success to keep our stars contented and settled. Sunday is going to be huge…

By Allezkev

Without too much effort Arsenal have reached the semi-final of the League Cup, and now we will face the high-flying Magpies at the home of football. I never cared much about this competition to be brutally honest. It is clear that most teams don’t treat it as a priority, but it is a great opportunity to use the wider squad players and try out some new tactics etc. Arsene Wenger and also Mikel have treated the competition with a light touch over the years, but I feel it will be different this time round. Playing Newcastle United and, if we are successful, then one of Spuds or Pool are great opportunities to test ourselves against these competitors, and our boys could really do with such scalps and some silverware in their cabinets.

So I think Mikel will go all out this time and try to win the game. Is this wise? Well, we will have to see. Liverpool are starting to show cracks – their defence has conceded 11 PL goals in six games since their win v Pep’s City; whereas they only conceded eight in the preceding 13 games – and we have a great opportunity to keep putting pressure on them by winning as many PL games as possible. Therefore, saving a few key players today would also make good sense.

As Kev suggested, Arsenal may treat the Man United FA Cup game with a lighter touch and go out all Gunners blazing for this one. I hope he does.

Predicted Starting Lineup:

Raya

Timber – Tequila – Big Gab – Lewis-Skelly

Partey – Ode – Merino

Marquinhos – Jesus – Martinelli

Our Brazilian duo Martinelli and Jesus have found their feet and why not add Marquinhos, also Brazilian, to the mix?! Apparently, he is back and has been given shirt number 27 and with so many injuries for our right wing position, it may make sense to start him. We need a bit of extra fire-power on the bench, and Trossard is just our ideal super-sub in my opinion. Is Kai fit enough to start? It sounds like he is not, and therefore a place on the bench may be the best thing we could wish for.

The Magpies have a good team and play some good and clever footie. They will love us to come and attack them and play us on the break. They have a strong midfield, although they will miss Guimaraes today. Isak is a joy to watch and you just know that he belongs in an Arsenal side sooner or later. He has everything you would hope for in a modern attacker: fast, deadly, excellent dribbler, good with feet and head, great first touch, good overview of the game and (therefore) a quick and accurate passer, and he scores many important goals. But we know that Big Gab and Tequila Slammer love big CF challenges, and this alone is a reason to watch the game tonight.

Partey back in midfield will make a difference, and I feel that Merino, who is simply in better form than Rice, will once again start ahead of the Englishman.

Looking forward to this one.

Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners.

By TotalArsenal.

Everyone on this blog knows how much I love Bukayo. We never had a more efficient winger since the Overmars days. That combination of speed, torque, intelligence and levelheadedness of Saka is hard to find. He is hard to predict and teams put at least two players around him to stop him. They can try but Bukayo always finds a way to beat them, and his stats of assists and goals are second to none.

He will be missed, but that’s footie. So what can Arteta do to deal with this temporary loss?

1. Martinelli replaces Bukayo. The obvious choice as Arteta already put this in practice on Saturday. Odegaard will give him great service and Martinelli’s right foot can do great cut backs and crosses. We just need our attacking players to be ready. The problem is that the young Brazilian leaves a gap on the left, as Trossard isn’t really a winger.
2. Marquinhos is said to return from his latest loan spell in January. I liked him from the start and right-wing is his favourite position, I think, but his lack of experience in the PL and the time he would need to adjust, could cost us.
3. Play Trossard or Jesus in Saka’s position. The Brazilian and Belgian are flexible players and will always put in a shift, but it remains to be seen how effective they will be on the right. I see this more as a one-off solution than one for a number of games.
4. Odegaard on the right, with Jorginho or Nwaneri to play in the Norwegian’s usual position? Martin has a lot of Bukayo’s skills but would we miss his midfield mastery too much?
5. Nwaneri to replace Bukayo. This would be quite the gamble but my gut feeling is it could work. Ethan has the close ball control and speed so vital for this position; he also is a good finisher and would relish the opportunity, I think…

what do you think Arteta will/should opt for?

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 ❤️

by TotalArsenal

It started drizzling with rain when I got to the station to catch my train to Stratford and pretty much didn’t stop until we got home after the game. It made conditions slippery and perfect for cup football.

Crystal Palace turned up full of confidence in the midst of a good run of form with a sizeable and very vocal crowd of support from South London. They filled the Clock End and made a lot of noise, particularly in the 1st half.

Arteta tried to balance his books by picking as strong a starting XI as possible whilst resting as many key players that he could and who needed a rest for the battles ahead over the congested festive period. In a way playing Palace twice in a few days is beneficial as we can’t have an Everton scenario this weekend vs an opponent who’s had a weeks rest.

Palace picked their strongest XI and went for it, an early long ball over the top caught Timber and Kiwior on their heels, Kiwior looked uncomfortable as his attempted clearance squirmed off of his head into the path of the imposing, immovable figure of Mateta who easily held off Jakub and slid the ball past a surprised Raya. Only 4 minutes on the clock and the Clock End was going bananas.

Arsenal did well to recover from that early blow and Palace maybe didn’t take advantage of the understandably disjointed Gunners, 8 changes from the previous weekend. The Arsenal defence, a back-four that had never played as a unit before was not as secure as we were used to and had its struggles but Kieran Tierney, who’d enjoyed the loudest cheer of the evening during the warm up, was rolling back the years as only he can. He gave it everything until subbed in the 2nd half when the tank was dry.

Arsenal applied some pressure in an effort to find an equaliser but it wasn’t clicking, Nwaneri was struggling to make an impact and wasn’t getting a lot of help from those in front or behind him, Partey wasn’t on his A game. Sterling went close from a free-kick and there were a few scrambles at the Palace end but Henderson looked fairly untroubled between the sticks.

Uncle Jorginho kept probing and looking for an opening but he wasn’t receiving much help from Merino and Ethan. The 1st half ended like a damp squib and Arteta reacted with two key substitutions. Off went Ethan,l – he’ll have much better days – and Partey; on came Big Bill and the Captain.

The impact of Martin and Bill was immediate, the defence reorganised with Timber going right-back and looking far happier and with Saliba cruising around the back four like the Bismark looking to pick off any Palace incursions, Kiwior looked more secure and McTesco just did his thing, it was great to see.

The midfield immediately began to move and generate danger and Palace began to drop deeper, Odegaard and Uncle J encouraged more movement from the forwards, Trossard woke up and was buzzing all over the place, Sterling looked threatening and Jesus was resurrected from his slumber. Sterling should have scored following great work from Tierney and then Jesus finally equalised, a surgical pass from Odegaard sliced open the Palace rearguard and Jesus showed great composure in lifting the ball over the onrushing Henderson, the roof flew off and Arsenal were back in business.

Smart work from Trossard, following another searching Odegaard long pass, saw Jesus swivel and almost score again, GJ was cooking!

Then Saka joined the party replacing Sterling and Lewis Skelly replaced the exhausted Tierney who gave everyone a wave as he left the field, was he saying goodbye? Great work from Odegaard and Timber put Bukayo away and he slid in Jesus who steadied himself before blasting past Henderson.I did hear some comments about it being off-side, but I couldn’t care less.

Palace pushed forward looking for an equaliser leaving Jesus lurking on the halfway line, Odegaard found him, of course he did, and our PL-misfiring Brazilian smashed another past Henderson after running half the length of the pitch – job done.

Eddie scored a consolation for Palace but it was a night for Jesus and we worshipped at his miraculous goalscoring return to form. Where it leads from here is really in the hands of the gods, but the return of our No.9 was like turning water into wine, a nice fruity red.

To be continued….

By Allezkev.

You can kinda split this and any season up into sections, manageable sections, bites if you like, so that you can plan ahead but not too far because it could possibly give you sleepless nights if that’s in your particular personality.

For me it’s just totally exciting, I’m loving this season, it’s enough to make me want to croon, or maybe play a didgeridoo. I’ve so enjoyed the previous two seasons despite the ultimate disappointment of missing out to the ersatz club in Eastlands. This one feels a bit more serious if you get my gist?

Anyway, we’ve just come through what you could describe as our opening section, one that included some of the most difficult games we’ll face this season and as we take a deep breath during the Interlull it’s satisfying to see where we are?

Nicely tucked away among the main protagonists for the title and looking far more resilient and resourceful than in our previous two campaigns, No over-celebrating, not that I ever saw that as a problem personally and dealing with the oft repeated setbacks of injuries and two tier officiating with a Churchillian stiff upper lip.

We’re nicely situated in the Champions League mega table, keeping a low profile and allowing the many cretins in the media to rabbit on about other contenders whilst we prepare to accumulate the necessary points to finish top eight.

The much maligned League Cup has proved to be an enjoyable distraction allowing Arteta the latitude to play some youngsters this season after some previously terrible draws, some of these youngsters will be major components as the season progresses. The next tie in the League Cup will be tough but get through that and you’re only three games from Wembley and the chance of an early piece of silverware which might just be the catalyst for this group to do something special…

I’m looking at the next 10 fixtures, split by the final Interlull of 2024 thankfully. There are 6 PL games, the LC tie at Preston and 3 CL fixtures, but what is noticeable is that it’ll be very much Arsenal On the Road because 7 of those games will be away, necessitating a lot of tiring travel.

Arsenal on the road doesn’t actually bother me at all because this squad is set up to dig in and grind out the results when necessary. I think we sometimes look more vulnerable at home where expectations can be a tad unrealistic.

I never thought we’d beat Southampton 5-0 last weekend, football doesn’t work that way, but we did find a way to win and that’s all that matters. This team has improved from 12 months ago, our players have grown, our coaching staff have grown and our manager has grown and if you can’t take anything from that, then I’m glad I’m not in your world.

Fortunately this blog in general is one of endless sunshine, light and enjoyment.

By Allezkev