What a difference a week makes! The pleasure of seeing/listening to pundits re-writing their agendas actually gives me as much pleasure as Saturday's result did (and as did Sunday's results too, of course)! Paul Scholes being the latest to need a slap, with his 'Arsenal would be the worst Premier League winners ever' drivel.
For goodness' sake, media buffoons. How can this be the worst Premier League ever when the Premier League is absolutely dominating the Champions League standings? It's impossible to reconcile those two facts. So button it, and give Arsenal the credit they deserve!
This is not going to be one of those 'as it happened' posts. There's enough to discuss without going through a minute-by-minute review. I'll just crack on.
It's worth reviewing the team selection, however; with Havertz preferred to club captain Odegaard in midfield. This might easily have been a 'horses for courses' selection, with Leeds' well-known aggressive outlook - especially at Elland Road - taken into account. Kai is obviously a much bigger unit that Martin. But it may just as easily have been a message to the skipper that nobody's place in the side is guaranteed - and we have all seen that he has not been at his best these past couple of weeks.
Havertz dovetailed well with Gyokeres on Wednesday evening, and is clearly going to be looking to play higher up the pitch than Odegaard. I, amongst others, get annoyed at the latter often dropping very deep to receive the ball when - with Zubimendi and Rice in the side - he really doesn't need to. So perhaps this is a subliminal message to the skipper to stay high when he does get the nod. Fascinating, anyway.
The squad is currently almost fully fit. Quite a remarkable situation for Arsenal in late January. But it does appear that we have lost Mikel Merino with a foot injury for several months now. The Spaniard is a key squad member - whether starting or off the bench - so he will be missed. But it's probably too late to draft somebody in to replace him before the current Transfer Window 'slams shut' (Sky Sports News style...).
The only other point of note was the late injury to Starboy, which necessitated the drafting of Madueke into the side in his place. At this stage we cannot be sure how serious it is; but at the time of writing there must be serious doubts as to Saka's participation in the semi-final second leg against Chelsea.
And it's to Madueke that I turn first for an analytic point. Here, he had easily his best game in an Arsenal shirt; tormenting his full back and ensuring that Saka wasn't missed one iota. The player who I had christened Noni Noendproduct on Wednesday evening had metamorphosed in a matter of days into Cristiano Nonaldo!
Madueke set up Zubimendi for the crucial first goal (yet another headed goal for the Spaniard, by the way), and his superb delivery from a corner caused sufficient mayhem for keeper Darlow to get tangled with two of his own men and punch the goal bound ball into his own net. Well deserved, Noni. Keep this up.
Of course, the old agenda gets recycled again and again. Set Piece FC. Own Goal FC. I wish those people would just SHUT UP! What gets conveniently ignored by all these simpletons is that Arsenal time and again face deep blocks, and have little or no space in which to operate. Penalty areas tend to be packed with 7-10 defenders at any stage, and the only room is often around the outside and towards the byeline. It's not rocket science to realise that when Arsenal's wingers and full backs attack those spaces, that there is a pretty good chance of them winning corners.
And after that... well, Arsenal happen to be very good at corners. Stop conceding them, oppositions, and defend them better if you don't want to concede. I have no sympathy with anybody over this. And I have no truck with anybody who regards it as boring/negative/predictable etc etc. They just want to find a stick - any stick! - with which to beat Arsenal.
I think I've made my point!?!
Two goals ahead at half time. The much vaunted Elland Road crowd pretty much silenced. An xG of just 0.02 given up. Total control. And this against a side with a formidable home record and reputation. Arsenal were clearly back. And whilst Leeds were a little better for maybe 10 minutes at the start of the second half, they hardly had a sniff at goal; Raya making a routine save from a header that was their only attempt on target. But there's plenty more to discuss.
Havertz did a great job. I am delighted to see him back, and whilst his minutes need to be carefully managed as he looks to regain match fitness, I sense that he is the missing link that who could take this group to glory this season. Whether playing in midfield or up top, he has a new-found aura of control and self-belief that is going to really benefit his team-mates. It's going to be so exciting to watch this develop. It is clear that Big Vik is enjoying the presence of Havertz playing so much closer to him than alternative players have been doing.
Gyokeres himself had a typical game. Not winning as many duels as one may hope. Missing a decent chance having almost burst past the last line of defence, only to allow his defender to get back at him. But scoring exactly the type of goal that we want to see him score, as he held off his defender - surely it would have been a penalty otherwise - to bundle home Martinelli's cross. That's two goals in two games, and 4 in 6. Perfectly respectable in my book.
A word at this point for Gabriel Martinelli, who took his chance as the 'finisher' on the right hand side as he replaced Madueke. He showed tenacity and tactical awareness, plus the delivery for Gyokeres - with his wrong foot no less - was sumptuous. Superb stuff, and adding to the perfect day.
Which was completed by a typical Jesus finish. Having already missed two decent opportunities after replacing Gyokeres, Jesus wrong-footed two defenders before curling the ball into the far corner of the net. Trademark.
So there you go. Nobody beats Leeds 4-0 at home, but Arsenal did just that. Their manager Farke duly gave Arsenal the credit they deserved, and all feels right in the Arsenal world - Merino and Saka's fitness notwithstanding.
And especially following the setbacks suffered by Aston Villa - losing at home ot 10-man Brentford - and Manchester City, who looked in total control in the face of a pathetic first half performance from the home side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but who capitulated in the second half to share the spoils against a club who are inexplicably Guardiola's kryptonite. Thus leaving Arsenal 6 points clear.
Here's Arteta thanking his favourite chicken; which he's just lifted off of a basketball...
Let's take stock at this point:
- 6 points clear. City at Liverpool next. An easier run in than either of our closest challengers
- Irrespective of all the nonsense, Arsenal are scoring goals from open play. With both Gyokeres and Jesus getting on the score sheet regularly
- Kai Havertz is back
- Needing to avoid defeat on Tuesday against Chelsea in order to reach a first cup final of the season
- A home tie against League One opposition in the FA Cup to follow
- A 100% record secured in the group stages of the Champions League
- An incredibly deep squad from which to choose. Just look at the bench for this game!
- 14 league games to go. Only three of them outside London, so little travelling to do
