Nothing huge to report from a pretty routine win at Portman Road against an outclassed Ipswich Town; one major and a few minor talking points notwithstanding. But I did sense something different about the demeanour of the players just a few days after the win at the Bernebeu. An aura - a swagger, almost. A sense of them having hit a new level; psychologically at least. There’s actually no telling what beating Real Madrid might do for this group on a mental level as they move forward.
Of course a sample size of one is not statistically relevant, and Arsenal’s kryptonite - the low block - remains the final part of the jigsaw that Arteta needs to solve. But if they carry this aura on in the rest of the Premier League campaign - difficult matches against Liverpool and Newcastle notwithstanding - then perhaps taking the same attitude into next season and to whatever the opposition put up against them will turn out to be the answer.
What is for certain is that Ipswich had not a single answer to Arsenal, at any stage, and supporters in the ground would have ended up with cricked necks from watching pretty much all the play in one third of the field. But we don’t have to cast our minds back too far to remember recent struggles against said low blocks against Brentford, Everton, Nottingham Forest and others that in the end have cost the team any chance of vying for the Premier League title.
However, I sensed something different about the team on Sunday; it was as if beating Real had elevated the group to a higher plane. Watch this space.
And so to the game itself. Arteta went strong to start with, wanting to burn the opposition off early, and the team delivered. The full backs and Partey were rested, however. First half goals from Trossard (playing in the false 9 with Merino dropping back into midfield) and Martinelli had put the game to bed long before the game’s major talking point.
On the goals; Arsenal’s right hand side, with Saka almost back to full power, looked irrepressible, and Starboy had whoever faced up to him on toast. Whether he went inside or outside, they had no answer, and there is simply no doubt now as to his importance to the team - nor to his standing in world football. Add in his link-up play with Odegaard, and we’re looking at questions that any defence in the world are going to find it difficult to answer.
The second goal, by the way, was a thing of complete beauty. Saka, released by Trossard, burst down the right and crossed; where Merino - rotating with Trossard - sublimely flicked the ball to the onrushing Martinelli, who passed the ball into an open goal. I'm sure that Merino meant it...
Of course, the major talking point from the match was the horrendous challenge on Saka from Davis, which sent Starboy 5 feet into the air. The defender raked his studs down Saka's achilles - and if you've ever had someone do that to you, then you know how painful it is. Davis simply couldn't have been going for the ball - it was too far away - so that was deliberate; and he got exactly what he deserved in the shape of a red card. Impact injuries are of course easier to deal with than muscular ones, so the application of ice to the point of impact would have helped Starboy's recovery, and I do expect to see him in some capacity against Crystal Palace.
Following lengthy treatment, Saka was able to continue. Bizarrely, the Suffolk inbreds decided that the best course of treatment for Saka for having the audacity to be fouled so horrendously was to boo his every touch from then on. I have no idea whatsoever why they should choose to do so. But in the space of the next 10 minutes Starboy missed a hat-trick of what for him were more than presentable opportunities to score (at the same time making a mockery of my decision to make him my Fantasy League captain for the week). Close-ups of Saka indicated that he at least saw the funny side of it, but on another day Arsenal could have been 5-0 up at half-time.
The second half was as much a formality as the first, with Arsenal doubling their lead via goals from Trossard (again Ole Ole) and Nwaneri - via a couple of deflections - both from short corner routines. Saka had long departed, but the dynamic of the game hadn't changed; as Odegaard pulled Arsenal's strings. There was almost a dream start to the Premier League career of Nathan Butler-Oyedeji (NBO from now on!), who finally made it onto the pitch following a dozen appearances on the bench, as his very first touch was a rasping shot from the edge of the penalty area that had Palmer at full stretch to palm over.
And that was that. Ipswich have been doomed almost from the start, of course, and will along with last season's other two promoted sides be going back down from whence they came. The gap is simply too much for most promoted sides. Although this may change next season, as both Leeds and Burnley have recent Premier League experience and better squads than this season's lambs to the slaughter. If that's the case, then hopefully Tottenham's recent slide down the table can continue into the 25/26 season and see them in a real relegation battle; as it stands they are likely to finish 17th this season - saved from ignominy only by the lack of quality of Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester.
Whilst Spurs have somehow found their way into the Europa League semi-finals - along with the other Banter Club Manchester United (we're all lovers of Bode/Glimt and Bilbao, are we not?) - Arsenal have much bigger fish to fry next week as they come up against PSG in what could be a classic Champions League semi-final matchup. Mikel Arteta does, however, have a dilemma to solve, due to the idiotic booking that Thomas Partey picked up late on in the Bernebeu. The Ghanaian is ruled out for the first leg, and those are big boots to fill. With Jorginho and Califiori both still out, this will mean that the Manager has to be creative.
There are a number of ways to skin this particular cat, with the easiest one appearing to be dropping Rice to the number 6 role, Merino to left 8, and sticking Trossard up top. This is by no means perfect, however, as it will restrict the influence of Rice; and also leave Trossard dwarfed by the PSG centre backs. There was plenty of positional rotation on Sunday, but Ipswich aren't PSG, and Sam Morsy is no Vitinha!
What we did see on Sunday was Arteta experimenting with his midfield, We saw first Zinchenko and then MLS move into the number 6 role, with Tierney coming on at left back, and this is certainly another alternative for the Manager to consider, but it's a risk against such a potent midfield. I suspect that Arteta's natural conservativeness will see Rice start at number 6, but there will be wriggle room as the game develops. Interesting.
For me, PSG are a decent matchup for Arsenal. They are an entirely different outfit to the one that Arsenal completely bossed in the group stages of the tournament, and they certainly won't be looking to sit back in a low block. It ought to be a game of attack and counter attack, and the best defence - Arsenal's - can hopefully expect to come out on top. Two games to really look forward to.
Meantime, it's Crystal Palace first; the match brought forward from Saturday with Palace in FA Cup semi final action at the weekend. Arteta and Arsenal may well have their minds on next week, but Glasner and Palace will have their weekend even further at the forefront of their minds. Hopefully we won't see Eze, who is their main creative threat, and I don't really want to see Mateta either. But, having thrashed Palace 5-1 at Selhurst Park in their first meeting this season, I don't expect that Arsenal should have too much difficulty with them. Frankly, Arsenal still need the points in order to keep their challengers at bay - the likes of Forest, City and Newcastle continue to nibble at their toes - so Arteta cannot afford to rotate his starting line-up too much.
We shall see. In the meantime... COYG!
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