It's All About You...

Wouldn't it be nice, just for once, to go a week or two without officiating controversies dominating the Premier League agenda? John Brooks' performance on Saturday evening raised enough eyebrows; but even his (and his colleagues') staggering ineptitude was comprehensively eclipsed by an absolute travesty of a decision at Old Trafford on Sunday.

I'll get back to the latter later on, but let's first concentrate on what we're really here for - which is Arsenal maintaining their 100% record at Sunderland. A ground, by the way, where you may recall they dropped points very late on last season' and at which they had to really battle for the result. And up, as they were, against not only a very physical and determined Sunderland team who had almost exclusively been given the week off by their manager despite having a Carabao Cup tie, but also a Premier League/television schedule which meant that they had to get back from Naples on Wednesday night and prepare for a tough away game just 72 hours later. Plus a referee who did his absolute utmost to aid the home side to get a result. 

A quick word for the Arsenal travelling support here, by the way. With TNT Sport once more taking the absolute mickey out of match-attending supporters for the second weekend in a row - having last week scheduled Newcastle vs Bournemouth for a 12.30pm kick-off that would have meant away fans having to leave at 1am to be sure of getting to Tyneside on time - by obliging those Arsenal fans who had been in Italy just three days prior to head 200+ miles north to a city which left them no visible means of getting back home via public transport after the match. Why this sort of thing is permitted by the authorities, I simply do not know!

Anyhoo... let's get into it. And Mikel reverted to the eleven who started against Chelsea the previous weekend; with the other change worthy of note being the return of Jurrien Timber to the bench. Sunderland was a difficult place to go last season, and looks like being equally difficult this season for any opponent. Especially bearing in mind that up until Saturday they had actually allowed the opposition fewer shots on target than even Arsenal in their first three matches!

In the early stages, Arsenal were faced with the lowest of possible low blocks, with space at an absolute premium in and around the home penalty area and Sunderland's tactics clear; deny space, and whenever possible hoof the ball up to the wall-like Brobbey for him to hold the ball up as long as possible to allow players to get around and support him. Brobbey's first act, probably inevitably, was to flatten Konsa, and the pair had a running battle all evening.

However, it didn't take long for a patient Arsenal to fashion an excellent opportunity, when in the 14th minute Rice's delicate chip found the onrushing Saka just 6 yards out. Starboy appeared to be wearing the same boots as he was wearing in Naples - i.e. NOT his shooting boots - as he only managed to prod the ball gently into Roefs' arms.

But Sunderland did start to feel their way into the game and get up the pitch; their first opportunity came when Konsa fouled Brobbey (running theme...) and Granit Xhaka's magnificent dead ball flew dangerously between the Arsenal defensive line and David Raya. Ballard's contact wasn't clean enough to cause any issue, however. Nevertheless, apart from the occasional foray from the home side, Arsenal were very much in control.

A second decent chance came and went as a typically intricate move down the away side's left saw Odegaard cut the ball back for Havertz; who could only scoop his shot over the bar from 8 yards out. Moments later the ubiquitous Odegaard, once more pulling all the strings for Arsenal and looking like the league's best player so far, crossed from the right for Havertz to chest the ball down and volley spectacularly with his back to goal; but directly above Roefs, who turned the ball over the bar comfortably. Still 0-0, but it could have already been 0-3 - and by half-time may have been 4, as only a clever intervention with his heel from Xhaka prevented Havertz from converting a late Saka corner.

At the resulting corner, by the way, Brobbey hurled Calafiori to the ground - but referee Brooks - who had been allowing all sorts of robust challenges from the home side to go unpunished (Arsenal don't like it up 'em - tick...) - waved play on (it's OK if they do it TO Arsenal players - tick...). Mikel Arteta, who went over to the fourth official to remonstrate, was then booked by Brooks for doing so (typical Arteta - tick...). Pathetic...

But the half-time scoreline... Brian Brobbey's extremely wide posterior 0, Arsenal 0.

And Arteta took action during the break, with Timber replacing White (who had been holding his groin late on) and Bruno on for MLS. The latter a very popular decision for the home supporters, obviously... and the game continued as before the break - with Arsenal dominating the ball, but Sunderland looking capable on the break - with Brobbey continuing to cause Konsa and Gabriel problems. And on 54 minutes.. penalty to Sunderland!

A preposterous call. And to understand why it was preposterous, let's go through the guidelines/triggers for awarding a penalty:

• Focus on the opponent: the defender focuses entirely on the rival player instead of tracking the ball. In this instance, Konsa's eyes are on the ball until such time as he is dragged down by Ballard
• No attempt to play the ball: the defender makes no genuine effort to challenge for or play the ball. Impossible for Konsa to play the ball - Ballard drags him down before he can get off the ground
• Two-armed holds: the defender uses both arms to grab, wrap around, or restrict an attacker. Konsa has one hand on Ballard; has to use the other to attempt to keep his balance as the latter grabs his jersey 
• Turned backs: the defender deliberately blocks or restricts an attacker who has their back turned to an incoming set-piece. Both players are facing the ball
• Sustained impact: the holding or shirt-pulling lasts long enough to noticeably impede the opponent's ability to move. It is Ballard who drags Konsa down on top of him

I mean... it's not even close to being a penalty. Not one of the above criteria are met. In fact, it's Ballard who drags Konsa over his hip. 

So for the VAR conversation to go:

Brooks: 'He's all over him at the near post facing the wrong way'

Atwell (VAR): 'I'm happy that it's a holding offence. Confirming the on-field decision of penalty'

Absolute nonsense! And so we go back to the conspiracy theories. Because just two games ago Arsenal were denied a penalty themselves following Maatsen's scissor kick assault on Saka at Villa Park. What, precisely, are Arsenal and their supporters supposed to think?

But there it was. Le Fee lining up the spot kick, with David Raya to beat. And I'll tell you this: I had a sense that the penalty was going to be low to Raya's left, and that the goalkeeper was going to dive the right way and save it. Which is precisely what transpired. And what a brilliant save it was! The instant reaction from the Arsenal players was as much about the injustice of the penalty award as it was the save. And this is precisely why you have to rate David Raya so highly - because he saves the team time and again with crucial interventions and saves. This one, hot on the hells of the Estevao shot that he tipped over last weekend, show why he is possibly Arsenal's greatest ever goalkeeper. It's moments like these, that Raya has been delivering for year after year, that change the trajectory of a season.

Two minutes later, and Arsenal had the lead. Bruno Guimares rifling in a 20 yard effort into the top corner of Roefs' net. Justice done. Disallow that, Sonny Jim! Anguish for the home supporters, as the former Newcastle captain makes a telling contribution. Enjoyable celebration too, by the way...

From then - I have to be honest - I had an almost surreal sense of calm. Rightly or wrongly, anyway. No way were Arsenal going to let this slip, I was thinking. Not this time. Not this year. Lightning was never going to strike twice. This group of players are built differently. Although my confidence was tested on a few occasions, I have to admit.

But if anything, Arsenal could and should have pulled away. Saka missed another presentable opportunity. Havertz had a header cleared off the line by Ballard. And the German passed when he had an excellent shooting chance. Then Timber buried Odegaard's free kick; a tight call for offside.

 Despite the old fashioned 'up and under' pressure from the home side Raya was rarely threatened... until very late on, that is, when new signing Malick Fofana began to bring havoc to Arsenal's right side and we saw some penalty box pinball, and some major havoc following a Xhaka cross when Raya had to intervene twice in order to clear the danger.

In the meantime, Brooks had excelled himself yet again. This time penalising Calafiori for taking too long to get the ball back into play at a throw-in (Arsenal deliberately delay restarts - tick...). Except that he was letting Sunderland do it all game. And then a booking for Gabriel, who had been looking to act as peacemaker following an incident between Konsa and Mukiele (Gabriel always instigates trouble. I've got to punish him - tick...)

The icing went on the cake late on, as deep into injury time Saka was a warded a penalty. Reinaldo - previously booked for tugging Saka's shirt - got his marching orders, having dragged him back inside the penalty area. Spot kick low to the keeper's left again; but this time there was too much power for Roefs to keep it out. 

Three more points tucked away, then, at a ground where many teams are sure to struggle. Sunderland are here to stay; that I can confidently predict. And this means that Arsenal now find themselves 5 points ahead of where they were from comparative games last season. You will recall the late loss at Villa, and the late concession leading to a draw at the Stadium of Light. That'll do.

Before I go; two things. Firstly, victory in Naples. Never an easy place to go, yet Arsenal dominated almost throughout. Two words of caution, however.

Firstly, Naples did have a few chances on the break. As did Sunderland, And as had Chelsea. I'd suggest that Arsenal are riding their luck somewhat as they look to 'attack' this season. It is very possible that a combination of a little bit too much risk-taking, and a perceived lack of fire power and true star quality up top, may hurt them as the season progresses. I am sure that Arteta is aware of this.

Secondly, there is the question of Ebereche Eze on the left wing. Arsenal dominated completely, and at a suffocatingly slow pace I must add. But I certainly felt that they were inhibited by Eze's unwillingness to even attempt to go to the outside of his full back He wants to play more in the interior, so he doesn't feel like a natural alternative to Tzolis. Maybe it'll have to be the left-footed Madueke?

Finally - and I cannot let this pass - there is the actual biggest refereeing controversy of the weekend. Which is the goal awarded to Manchester City at Old Trafford. All I can say is this: there is no way that ANYBODY who has played or watched football at any level can possibly think that Enzo Fernandez is not offside and 'interfering with play' as he launches himself at Cherki's cross inside the 6-yard box, directly in front of the goalkeeper and with the lone defender drawn to him instead of staying with Haaland at the back post. I have seen some diabolical officiating decisions in my time, but for the referee and VAR to go through the process they did and come up with Goal as the answer takes the absolute biscuit. It's simply unfathomable - but I'm sure that United will take solace in the inevitable 'apology' As if the decision to send off Foden, and not book Rat Face Fernandes, wasn't enough of an egregious error earlier on. 

When will it stop, and no wonder that Arsenal fans feel that there's corruption in the air as City continue to keep pace with the Champions. Simply unbelievable, and it is clear to me that PRO Ref (new name for PGMOL; same old sh*t though) are completelt unfit for purpose. Just look at how UEFA and FIFA run their competitions for comparison.

Anyway, Arsenal move on; masters - hopefully - of their own destiny. Ipswich away in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday (I'm expecting full rotation) and then another tricky game at Brighton on Saturday before the tumbleweed of an extended Interlull beckons.

Let's keep going. COYG!

Anything You Can Do...

… Arsenal can do better.

My big take away from Arsenal’s win over Chelsea on Sunday is that it doesn’t make much difference to this group what type of game is presented to them. They work out how to deal with the problem, adapt, and almost always come out on top. 

Whether it’s a ‘low block’, attempting something over-physical, looking to dominate possession or - as Chelsea looked to do - a counter-attacking plan, Arsenal invariably have the answer. And the home side managed to do that despite Chelsea taking that shock early lead. 

There’s no point in me regurgitating information or analysis that you will have already heard or read about the game, so I’m going to look for some slightly different angles to those put forward by others as I analyse it. Little things that might make a difference as the season goes on. 

For those who missed my latest On The Whistle, by the way, please click here - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/r1k4AdtN7dA. You'll find them on the marksyspeaks YouTube channel after every home game. But, for now, let’s crack on:

1. Evidence of the need for an extra right-sided defender was right in our faces on Sunday. Arsenal have been hurt in the recent past by ‘cluster’ injuries, so when one adds the minor injury to Mosquera to the longer term issues being suffered by Saliba and Timber, it shows that the summer signing of Konsa was really important. I for one wouldn’t have liked to see Hincapie pressed into playing as an emergency right back, or maybe Rice or Zubimendi repurposed there and forced to try to deal with Morgan Rogers. Not only would that have meant a mis-match, but could have unbalanced the entire side. Well done to the hierarchy for getting Konsa in - and yes, I’m sure that they overpaid; but the alternative wasn’t worth considering. As far as his performance was concerned, it was as if Konsa has been at Arsenal for the past 5 years - https://x.com/i/status/2096658429528219911

2. It’s remarkable to me that MLS continues to keep both Zubimendi and Bruno out of the starting XI - although I’d suggest that judging from the latter’s non-appearance from even the bench on Sunday he probably wasn’t fit enough t play a part in any case. Nonetheless, this is remarkable from a 19-year-old that the manager only saw fit to select in a moment of desperation as recently as April (shades of what he did with ESR in December 2020). Whether the teenager is going to manage to hang on to his spot as the season progresses is open to doubt, as the competition is so strong. But Arteta doesn't need to overplay any of these guys, so they should all hopefully remain pretty fresh throughout. What seems pretty clear to me, however, is that MLS is going to find himself back in the England squad next week 

3.    I am particularly delighted to see Martin Odegaard return to his very best form this season, as I have remained a steadfast supporter of what he offers the team when others had been declaring him 'finished'. The skipper sets a lot of the tone of the team, and is absolutely key to how Arteta wants them to play. If he can maintain fitness levels and arrive fresh at the back end of the season, he can be the difference in the latter stages of the Champions League. What was very noticeable to me when Arteta finally withdrew him late on in Sunday's game was that his replacement, Mikel Merino, was not capable of covering the ground like the Norwegian does - gaps started to appear in midfield where previously there were none. Arteta needs to look after a number of key players - and ought to be able to do that with a squad of the size and quality that he has assembled - but Odegaard is possbily the most important of all.

I should mention, by the way, the remarkable similarity between his goal in this game and the one he scored in the Community Shield. Watch this for proof - https://x.com/Arsenal/status/2097007219380539580?s=20 - and presumably opponents might get wise to this at some point. But these were two sublime goals, frankly

4.    One or two people may have questioned David Raya's inability to prevent Rogers' shot going in (I am not one of them), but he once more put in a gigantic performance in goal, and he continues to add further strings to his bow on almost a weekly basis. He is already a top-class shot stopper (that injury-time tip over from Estevao's effort shows that clearly), and commands his penalty area remarkably well - especially considering that he is no physical giant in goalkeeping terms - when meeting crosses and dead balls; thus installing high levels of confidence in his defenders, of course. 

But the addition of a remarkable ability to hit long balls out of his hands pretty much exactly where he needs to is changing the way that Arsenal counter attack; and changing the way that opponents need to defend against Arsenal. On numerous occasions on Sunday he set Havertz and latterly Gyokeres free with 60-70 yards balls. And these were no aimless punts. What will he and Ignaki Cana come up with next?

5.    This was another high class performance from Kai Havertz. Yes, he was nowhere near his best on Monday at Villa Park, but this was chalk to that cheese. He occupied Chelsea's defenders over the full width of the pitch, his clever flicks and switches of play had the opposition at 6s and 7s, he atoned for a failure to shoot when let in by Tzolis's square ball a few moments earlier with a precision near post shot (which, to double the joy, ought to have been saved by pantomime villain Emi Martinez, who was relentlessly and deservedly booed throughout), and his sublime dummy to let Odegaard in for the decisive second goal was beautiful to behold. He is clearly - and rightly - Arteta's first choice up top at the moment, and if he stays fit could be in for a stellar season. The fact that he always seems to get a goal against his former club must really rankle with their supporters - especially those who were actually delighted to see him leave Stamford Bridge at the time - and I'd hope to see him continue to rub the doubters noses in whatever they don't want their noses to be rubbed in

6.    Chelsea supporters - know your place! The pathetic addition of blow up plastic Champions League trophies on Sunday was an embarrassment, and hopefully their supporters are now beginning to accept Arsanal's long-term superiority. I was in the ground the past time that they beat Arsenal - August 2021, when Thomas Tuchel outwitted a rather less experienced Mikel Arteta by overloading Chelsea's right hand side; they tore Arsenal apart that day. Since then, Arsenal have remained undefeated against Chelsea, and that's long time for another so called Big Six club to fail to beat Arsenal. We had an awful lot less of the 'Champions of Europe - you'll never sing that' nonsense. Especially because we soon will - and they know it! And a lot of the social media stuff I've come across both before and since actually acknowledges Arsenal's current superiority. Good - stay down where you belong, if you don't mind!

7.    I have to say, by the way, that a re-watch was far more comfortable than being in the ground was. Especially with the game resembling something like a game of basketball for much of the last 15 minutes. My heart rate hit 118bpm at one point... but those watching on television tell me that they were considerably less concerned. I really do need to relax!

That'll do, I think. 9 points from 9 - difficult to argue with that! And attention now turns to the Champions League, with Arsenal on their way to Naples for their season opener on Wednesday. The draw could have been a little kinder, I guess, but Arsenal have avoided both PSG and Barcelona, and can look forward to a match-up with Bayern in Germany (I'm going to try to snaffle a ticket for that, I think), and a repeat of the Real Madrid match-up from a couple of seasons ago that is most memorable for Declan Rice's free kick double. This is the first of a sequence of no less than 4 successive away matches in three different competitions, before the interminable Interlull that will follow. So Arsenal aren't back at Emirates Stadium until October 10th!

But long may the excellent form and result continue. I don't see why they should not. 

COYG!

Options

Bit of a late one; this. Which as a rule I'll be doing my utmost to avoid this season. But I've been away - I watched the Villa game on my iPad in a villa in Tuscany - and having made a right mess of an attempt to post an update from abroad a few months ago I decided that I'd just wait until I got home. Anyway... 

I’ll be covering the victory over Aston Villa in this post (Mikel Arteta's 250th PL game in charge of The Gunners). And then the closing of the Transfer Window. And finally some thoughts on Sunday's meeting with Chelsea. But let’s start with Monday evening.

I won't dwell on this too much, as the game feels like it's long gone now; and was pretty unmemorable in any case. But here are a few of the bigger things I took from it.

• Arsenal remain ridiculously solid at the back. Saliba or no Saliba, they have made an exemplary start to the season. The only time that Villa had Raya the slightest bit concerned was when Buendia's pot shot - following what looked like a foul on Tzolis - crashed off the bar. They were virtually impotent. And Ezri Konsa, on debut, looked like he'd been an Arsenal player for years when he made a late appearance in place of Mosquera. Arsenal have conceded no goals, and a total xGA, of 0.42 in two PL games so far. Just ridiculous

• Tzolis was hooked at half-time by Arteta on the back of a sobering 45 minutes up against Cash. His replacement, Ebere Eze, changed the flow of the game, and the fact that the latter has added some extra work rate and defensive nous to his game is going to gain him some game time out on the left for Arsenal as the season progresses. especially with so many vying for a role more in the interior attacking areas

• Tzolis took an early booking for a fairly innocuous foul from referee Gillett. The latter then proceeded to favour the home side continually as Cash, McGinn and serial offender Maatsen were allowed to assault the visitors on a rota basis. One foul by Cash on Tzolis clearly deserved a booking. McGinn did McGinn things all night. And Maatsen racked up a hatful of bookable offences before being shown a late yellow. The latter also fouled substitute Bruno in the area late on with a scissor tackle that looked for all the world like a foul, penalty and second yellow. But the away side were getting nothing from the 'homer' of a referee and an impotent VAR. A shocking display from the officials; plus - as they say in France - ca change...

• Arsenal's midfield looks ridiculously strong. Being able to start with Rice, MLS and Odegaard, and then replacing them with talents like Bruno, Zubimendi and Mikel Merino is an embarrassment of riches. Oh my goodness! Now all Arteta needs to do is remember to rotate his troops

• Further forward, things look less clear. Tzolis had very little go his way on the night, but Eze helped make the difference. Starboy did well, and got the crucial goal following a late dart into the 6-yard box. But we saw the side of Kai Havertz that we'd rather not see too often. He missed two extremely presentable opportunities, but was actually offside for both; two of the 5 times he was caught offside. Not of the required standard... and yet we still did not see Big Vik. I wonder what that's all about (and I for one don't believe that the manager failed to bring him on because of a pending number change for the Swede following the departure of Gabriel Jesus...)

Anyway, we'll take the three points from what is traditionally a difficult venue for Arsenal and move on quickly.

Meantime, do click on this -

https://x.com/i/status/2094552639136563501

Two games in, it's maximum points, 4 goals scored and none conceded. Difficult to knock... yet plenty of pundits and supporters do. Apparently, Arsenal have a duty to entertain the neutral viewer. Well, f*ck that! The season is long, and people do love to beat Arsenal with whatever stick they can lay their hands on. They can go to hell!

A few quick thoughts on the transfer window now. And as I've already mentioned Arsenal look incredibly strong in both defence and midfield. 

In defence, there are still Timber and Saliba to come back, so opposing forward lines are going to have a very tough time breaking Arsenal down for the foreseeable future. The Gunners do, however, need to rely on David Raya staying fit, as I don't have much confidence in either Kepa or Meslier being able to fill his gloves to anything like the required standard.

In midfield, as I've mentioned, the hardest thing will be keeping so many world class players happy. One can almost perm any three from 6 and expect to dominate almost any opposition.

Up front, Arsenal have dispensed with both Leandro Trossard and now Gabriel Martinelli over the summer (along with Jesus, who wasn't getting any game time in any case, and also Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira - both of whom had as much a chance of pulling on a red shirt any time soon as I have). Additionally, Ethan Nwaneri has once more gone out on loan. 

There is clearly a production line being set up behind the likes of Odegaard and Eze, with Nwaneri and Dowman both wating in the wings, and for the moment we have Saka on the right with the 'mercurial' Madueke to rotate in. On the left, once their principal targets (Rogers; asking price ridiculous, and Vinicius Junior; entire scenario ridiculous) were proven unobtainable the Arsenal hierarchy have decided to stick with Tozlis and Eze. Up top, it's either Havertz or Gyokeres. Many are saying that Arsenal are light in the forward areas, but for me there are two key factors:

Firstly, if the elite talent that is needed to improve the squad is unavailable then why throw funds away on unsuitable candidates? And secondly is the matter of fitness - Arsenal won the PL and got to within a kick of the Champions League whilst Havertz (41 matches!), Odegaard (30) and Saka (15) missed large swathes of the season. Any sort of better luck with injuries and we should be just fine; until such time as a Galactico can be found/lured away. I'm certainly not going to be one of the complainers, with Arteta being able to call on Havertz, Gyokeres, Saka, Madueke, Tzolis, Eze, Dowman and. lest we forget him, Mikel Merino to play in forward positions between now and January. And if other clubs choose to overpay on such as Rogers and Barcola in forward positions, then that's their lookout. 

Before I get to the game at the weekend, a quick word on Gabriel Martinelli. It's sad to see him leave, but I can understand it from the club's perspective, as he really hadn't kicked on and improved as others have done over the past few years. Despite a critical goal against Manchester City last season, and a number of important contributions in the Champions League, he probably falls short of the level that Arteta is looking for. And with £60m+ of 'pure profit' available as an Academy graduate, this is just the sort of pragmatic sale that a club needs to make these days. He had been a loyal and important servant to the club, but that's football... 

Now on to Chelsea. Now, for me, Chelsea have replaced Tottenham as Public Enemy Number One. Partly because there's simply nothing to do with regard to Tottenham but laugh. But then mainly because I have nothing but disdain for the way the West London club is run, and is perceived (Manchester City are a very close second, by the way). The 'cattle market' behaviour of player trading makes my stomach turn, as they clearly have no regard for playing staff other than as chattels to be bought and sold. They have no morals or scruples, and they make me sick!

The final straw for me was the signing of Emi Martinez. I can't stand the guy, and so it seems perfectly clear that him going to Stamford Bridge is simply the culmination of the sinking of both him and the club to the bottom of a pond in which all life is poisonous. Two vile entities coming together; may they suffer together for eternity in thr blackest pits of hell, please.

As you may be able to tell, I'm not a lover of Chelsea FC... however, let's have a look at them on a more practical level. Martinez will certainly improve them, with Sanchez having been a liability in goal. But defensively they can be got at, as for me they lack a lot of the qualities needed in top class defenders (one just has to look at Arsenal). And whilst Alonso's tactics are embedded they can certainly be got at - we have seen how open they have been in their first two games. This is partly explained by the Caicedo-shaped hole in their midfield, and with Enzo now gone I cannot see that Lavia can do enough of a job against Arsenal's world-class midfield.

Further forward, they are obviously devastating, with potentially the best forward line in the league. Palmer is class, and Joao Pedro a continual threat; while we are fully aware of Rogers' capabilities and that is why Arteta was so keen to sign him (but not for £117m!). So they will pose a threat going forward, but they first have to get hold of the ball, and I am not sure how easy that may be for them. 

I'm worried about the game as I am about any Arsenal game, but I'd expect Arsenal to win it comfortably 7 times out of 10. For all that Chelsea may turn out to be one of Arsenal's biggest title threats this season, I feel that for all their forward power Arsenal will still have too much for them. The Gunners may finally concede a goal, but I'm still expecting a two goal margin by full time.

 3-1 to the good guys. Mark my words. COYG

 

Stop Playing With Your Food!

We are coming to the end of what has so far been an extremely satisfying start to the new Premier League season. Arsenal's comfortable win over Coventry set things off, and since then we have watched Manchester United lose in disgraceful fashion at Hull, Tottenham battered (as is traditional; everywhere they go) at Brentford, and Manchester City and Liverpool struggle to a late and narrow win at home to Bournemouth, and a last-minute draw away to Newcastle (courtesy of one of the best penalties I have ever seen!) respectively. At the time of writing, I am looking forward to Fulham doing the business this evening against Chelsea to complete the set, so to speak. With an away trip to an Aston Villa side who look in utter disarray to follow, things are looking good in so many ways for the Champions.

But it doesn't do much good to worry about our so-called rivals. Especially so early in the season. Let's concentrate on Arsenal, and the salient points that can be taken out of Friday night's 3-0 romp over Fat Frank's Coventry City.

With Bruno somewhat inevitably injured, the team was exactly the one that I would have selected. With Rice and Saka not long back, I would have been looking to give them an hour before going to the bench, and it was no surprise to see Havertz preferred to Gyokeres up top. And this is what I took from the game itself:

1.    Arsenal are sooo back. Ready to rumble, and looking sharp and hungry. Although we have to bear the quality of the opposition in mind - Coventry aren't going to be judged on matches like this one, but FF will need to ensure that their confidence hasn't taken too much of a knock from this mauling - but Arsenal were dominant almost from the off (Coventry did look decent, to be fair, for 3-5 minutes), and it was always merely a question of how many Arsenal would score

2.    Rice was his customary majestic self, and alongside him MLS looked an absolute natural; taking the ball on the half-turn, and drawing opponents into fouls (I lost count of how many - 4? 5?) before using the ball economically. Buzzing around them - and indeed everywhere - was Martin Odegaard, who looks to be getting back to the heights he reached three seasons ago before injuries started to affect his performances. And whilst we can expect both Rice and Odegaard to start all of the key matches - fitness permitting - that leaves just one midfield spot into which to fit the currently pretty much undroppable MLS; plus Bruno, Zubimendi, Merino and Ebere Eze. I don't envy Arteta's job in trying to keep them all happy, I can tell you!

3. Further forward, Saka looked sharp and on his way back to his best. Tzolis carried on the good work that he had started in pre-season, and Havertz was his usual elusive self. The interest for me was to see how these three, plus the three behind, were exchanging positions throughout and giving the opponent continual headaches; as they couldn't work out who to track. Rice and MLS alternated as the deepest man. Odegaard occasionally popped up between them before moving back into either number 8 position, Havertz dropped deep, and Tzolis was everywhere. Indeed, the latter popping up in the right-wing position very nearly led to a goal for Saka

4.    To add to the dynamism in the interior, Calafiori had licence to roam, and it was wonderful to see the telepathic understanding between the White/Odegaard/Saka triumvirate restored on the right side. Of course, there was very little danger going the other way - Gabriel and Mosquera dealt easily with the occasional raid - and that led to the home side being able to play with plenty of freedom. There will certainly be harder tests, but this version of Arsenal looks to me as if Arsene Wenger's 'handbrake' has been released by the title win. As Arteta said in his pre-match press conference, he doesn't want Arsenal to merely defend their title, but to attack it!

5.    As for the bench... well, there was little disturbance in the force when first Rice and Saka, then Odegaard and Tzolis came off. Arteta has managed to construct a squad as strong as anything that has ever been seen in Premier League history, with the bench - and with several who can't even get onto the bench - full of players who would be starters in pretty much any other Premier League side. With Saliba, Timber and Bruno injured, there was still the matter of Hincapie, Zubimendi, Merino, Eze, Madueke and Gyokeres on the sidelines; not to mention the likes of Nwaneri and Max Dowman. Plus Ezri Konsa, of course; introduced to us before kick-off

This Arsenal squad must surely terrify opposing managers and players, and - perhaps without the stardust qualities of players of the ilk of Yamal, Mbappe and Kavaratskhelia - this squad is more than a match for anything that England and Europe can offer. I said it in my previous post, but I truly believe that with anything like the normal rub of the green with injuries, and provided that the manager rotates as he can and should throughout the season, that Arsenal can build a dynasty from here. 3-5 years of English and European dominance may await.

Quickly covering the goals: the first came about when Tzolis dispossessed his full back and found Calafiori; whose perfectly threaded and weighted pass was sublimely stroked into the net by Havertz.

For the second goal, we saw something of why Declan Rice is the player he is. He saw the opportunity to drive with the ball right through the heart of the Coventry midfield, and following an exchange of passes with Odegaard the ball found its way to Tzolis, whose cross was pushed out by the fingertips of Coventry's thoroughly unconvincing goalkeeper Rushworth directly into the path of Saka. Who simply could not miss.

The third goal came just after half time; I assume following instructions from the manager to put the game to bed as soon as possible. This time Rice's clever vertical ball found Odegaard, and a combination between the skipper, Saka and the overlapping White saw Odegaard receive a cut-back from the full back a mere 8 yards out. Odegaard's scuffed right foot shot wrong-footed the unfortunate Rushworth and trickled over the line. 

And that was that... little else to report - and I even remarked to my wife at around 80 minutes that I was quite bored; so easy was it all. As she rightly replied: 'Good. Do you really want all the tension we had last season, or would you prefer to live with this?' A good point; well made. But her most apt remark about the game came late in the first half, as Arsenal were toying with the oppostiion. 'Come on, boys - stop playing with your food!' 

Three points to quickly note, before I get on to our so-called rivals:

Firstly, the new Laws surrounding corners have already seen Arsenal adapt. Whereas yesterday we saw Manchester City and Bournemouth players manhandling each other at set pieces, Arsenal have embraced the new world they find themselves in. A series of short corners in order to find new angles were an obvious change-up. But what was of more interest was that they kept their distance from the opposition when the ball was due to be curled in from the corner flag; making late runs around defenders and keeping physical contact to an absolute minimum. Nothing is left to chance by the coaching staff.

Secondly, Christos Tzolis. Now, some players never gain a nickname or a chant. But our new winger has a chant already - Woop Woop! - and not one but two nicknames; at least in Block 17, anyway. Some are calling him 'Quantum' - think James Bond - but the one that may stick is 'Brian'. Which of these two is Tzolis, and which is former Arsenal winger Brian Marwood? 

Brian Marwood

Christos Tzolis

And finally - the transfer market. First on this, it's impossible to know, and wrong to speculate, whatever conversation Arteta has had with Gabriel Martinelli. But it does appear that the manager is looking to upgrade that position. Now, we all love Martinelli for his commitment and work ethic, but it is equally clear that we can do better there. I'd be sad to see him go - as I would Nwaneri (although the talk is currently - quite rightly in my view - of a loan this season) - but there is little room for sentiment in top class football. If he is to go, I shall thank him for what he contributed to the club, and will continue to follow his career with interest.

Secondly is the question of Julian Alvarez. Do Arsenal really want to take a player who actually really wants to play for Barcelona, and sees any other move as a stepping stone to the Nou Camp? I'm not sure whether a) Arsenal should be taking that risk, especially such an expensive one, or b) whether he's that much of an upgrade on Kai Havertz, or whether - should the player be used as a makeweight in the deal - Arteta should be dispensing with Gyokeres after a single season. The Swede offers an entirely different threat than Havertz, and I would be loath to lose those qualities. Just my thoughts, anyway... also, should Arsenal sign him; how much does he also resemble Brian Marwood facially?

And so to the rest of the Premier League. Brighton beasted Villa to go top on goal difference (whatever that may mean after one round of matches), but of more interest were the struggles of a somewhat disjointed Manchester City at home to Bournemouth, and of a very ordinary-looking Liverpool at Newcastle. As for the other teams of interest; well, Manchester United were pathetic from front to back, and Tottenham started as only Tottenham can. How we laughed!

Right, then. Onwards and upwards. The next date of significance is Thursday 27th - the Champions League draw - and then it's on to Villa Park on Monday night. The bandwagon will hopefully continue to roll on. Meantime, I shall be looking to kick on with my new YouTube channel, which for the moment contains just a single Short - an On The Whistle from the end of the Coventry game. More to come as the season progresses at https://www.youtube.com/@marksyspeaks-yt

COYG!

Start As You Mean To Go On

A thoroughly comprehensive Community Shield performance and win over Manchester City at the weekend sets Arsenal up nicely for the new season. Of course, when you've won that particular game it's all fabulous - and if you've lost it's 'just a friendly'. However, the manner of the victory is what we should be taking out of the game. With added alarm bells for City; which I'll discuss later.

As it happens, there's lots to get through in this post. Especially because due to technical issues - me trying to post whilst using a VPN whilst on holiday - my review of last season essentially failed to post correctly. So a small section on that will make up some of the middle portion of this post.

So in here I'll give some quick views on the World Cup, then rapidly go over last season - and here's a quick and timely reminder, if you needed one, that Arsenal are Prenier League Champions! - and finally my thoughts on pre-season and the Community Shield, and where the club are regarding squad building and our prospects for the seaon. Let's crack on:

World Cup thoughts

On Spain - worthy winners. Rodri - majestic. And the team itself an absolute machine.Cubarsi looks at almost Saliba levels; at the age of 19. Their full backs (much disliked by Arsenal supporters for their Premier League affiliations) were absolute standouts. And they always found a way, despite Yamal being well off his best following injury; thanks, on two occasions, to our very own Mikel Merino.

As for Argentina; well, I've literally nothing positive to say. I don't think that I've ever seen such a large  group of dislikable players assembled together in a single squad. They ought, frankly, to be ashamed of themselves for bringing the beautiful game into such disrepute.

I'm not going to go into too much detail regarding any other side except England. But it was fun to see Germany depart early, a shock to see Brazil do likewise (although they're a pale shadow of previous squads, and I've no idea how Joao Pedro didn't make the 23), and a surprise to see a Saliba-less France shuffle out so meekly in the semi-final.

As for England... well, they ought to have reached the final. Which would have been an immeasurably better game had that occurred. I'd imagine that Thomas Tuchel will continue to have nightmares about the tactics he chose to employ, and the personnel he chose to use - or not - in those final 30 minutes. If England's performance in the 3rd/4th place playoff was anything to go by, then the way forward is clear. There are a number of absolutely outstanding players in the England squad; around whom Tuchel must build. Bellingham, Rice and Saka to name the three most obvious.

Meanwhile, don't get me started on Gianni Infantino!

2025-26 - recap

Mikel Arteta and his squad finally reaped their reward for sustained consistency and excellence over the previous years of near misses. The Premier League trophy, two cup final appearances and a further quarter final make for a pretty decent season in my book. And - as we saw in the scenes all over and around Islington in the aftermath - a beast has been released; and that beast is the Arsenal fan base! 

Before I give out a few flowers for last season, just a few words regarding the pathetic and embarrassing torrent of abuse that accompanied Arsenal's season/success. And also on the level of achievement that our team has reached.

In this age of social media, instant reactions and attempts to shock and wind up others mean that this nonsense is what we have come to expect these days. It happens at school and work, in politics, and in sport fandom; in every aspect of life, in fact. People think that they can say or do what they like whilst hiding behind a keyboard, and it's usually things they won't say to your face. Some of the most obscure and pointless people end up as minor celebrities/shock jocks - and all for spouting complete nonsense; simply for effect. Supporters of clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester City have been coming up with some of the most bizarre and absolute jokes of takes on last season... and now the upcoming season too.

Jokers. Clickbait. Remove them from your lives, guys; you don't need to waste your valuable time or energy on them. Sometimes it's difficult not to rise to the bait, but please remember this, Arsenal fans; we are above/better than these people, and have the forces of good on our side. As for these fools... well, they're essentially jealous.

Also, do not lose sight of the fact that in both Manchester City and PSG, Arsenal are and have been up against teams financed by literal nation states. Those clubs appear to be able to act with impunity in everything they do - those 115+ charges are still outstanding for City, and in the case of PSG you may or may not be aware that if you add up the wages they pay their players, you'd need to compare the aggregate of what the next FOUR clubs in Ligue Un pay their players in order to reach equivalent levels. Talk about tilted playing fields! 

So for Arsenal to beat City to the Premier League title (with relative comfort in the end), and to come within a penalty shootout of conquering a PSG side who played considerably fewer matches over the season, and in a vastly less competitive league, is a measure of how well they performed. Sure, Arsenal are hardly paupers when it comes to football finances, but there is no comparison here - especially as Arsenal’s money has been earnt organically - so do not allow anybody to belittle their achievements in the face of such stiff/unfair competition. 

Right then; let's quickly crack on with my Arsenal Awards for 2025/26 - and then we can get on to more important things i.e. the season that's about to start. 

Player of the Season - Declan Rice (with close competiton from David Raya and the imperious William Saliba here)

Most Disappointing Player of the Season - Noni Madueke (or Noni Noendproduct, as I call him)

Goal of the Season (so many from which to chose) - Eze's winner vs Newcastle (home); and here it is: https://www.reddit.com/r/ArsenalFC/comments/1svh6qy/eeze_9_arsenal_10_newcastle/

Moment of the Season - "After Review: West Ham's number 19 commits a foul"... Love it!: https://x.com/Splendor117/status/2066843790636134619/video/1

Worst Moment of the Season - Bournemouth at home. The whole afternoon. A nightmare...

I think that’ll do as regards awards. It all feels a little bit too late tbh. But I’d like to give extra flowers to Mikel (obviously), to Nicolas Jover, and especially to Gabriel Heinze who - whilst Carlos Cuesta had done an excellent job in his time at the club - appears to have injected a streak of steel and ruthlessness into the players.

It was great to see everyone pulling in the same direction; from Board and Management to the playing staff and also to the fans, who really began to get their act together and started to turn the stadium into a fortress. The scenes prior to the Atletico tie won’t escape anybody’s memories any time soon, and the tifos have really hit the mark. 

So… what’s next? Well, the switch in Chief Medical Officer announced soon after the end of last season would appear to mean that the club have acknowledged certain issues; after all, we’ve seen the likes of Havertz, Odegaard, Saka and Timber out for far longer than may have been expected during the course of the season. But it’s what happens next personnel-wise that’s going to be most interesting, as the club look to kick on further. 

But squad-building is complicated. And to me there feels like there may be a danger of Mikel being unable to see the wood for the trees. There are areas of weakness, but also areas of incredible depth and strength. Let's take a closer look:

Goalkeeper

David Raya is the undisputed number one. But behind him there are definitely issues. Kepa appears finished, and whilst Meslier has looked good on the fleeting occasions we saw him in pre-season, there's got to be a good reason why he fell from first choice to third choice goalkeeper at Leeds United over the course of two seasons. Raya needs to stay fit; and I certainly wouldn't be averse to moving Kepa on and picking up a new number two number one.

Defense

Hmmm... with Saliba out for several months with his back problem, and with Jurrien Timber several weeks away from returning by all accounts, Arsenal do look light on the right hand side of defence with just White and Mosquera available. And we all know what happens if Arteta over-plays Ben White. This is an area of short-term concern, as there has to be a question mark against throwing Marli Salmon in at the deep end at his tender years; for all his undoubted promise. The news coming through as I type that a deal has been agreed for Ezri Konsa feels like a sensible decison; although the size of the log jam once Saliba and Timber are back does make things somewhat complicated. But it's not exactly an easy start - the first few games of the season include a number of difficult hurdles.

On the left, a combination of Gabriel, Hincapie and Calafiori (with MLS in emergency) would seem to be more than adequate. No worries here, I don't think.

Midfield

Here, Arteta has an absolute abundance of riches from which to choose. Frankly - in my opinion - too many; certainly to keep them all sweet. How can he possibly shoehorn the following into three spots in the side? - Rice, Bruno, Zubimendi, MLS, Odegaard, Eze, Merino... I wouldn't know where to start, and those who are left out are probably entitled to feel aggrieved. I know that it's going to be another long season, but nonetheless...

How is he going to set up? How are we going to see the style of play evolve? I guess that we'll have to wait and see - although I do hope and expect to see a more free-flowing style; especially with Odegaard looking back to his dynamic and creative best: 

https://x.com/AFCJaccy/status/2089010323386745204/photo/1

Forwards (and I'll look at this in sections)

On the right, Bukayo Saka is clearly a shoo-in. With Madueke as his understudy, as things stand. However...

Look; I know that we all want to see all of our top youth players make the breakthrough to the first team, but we have exceptional talents in Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman both waiting in the wings; and both are equally as capable of deputising for Starboy at any given time. I sense that both of the teenagers may be eventually earmarked for number 8/10 roles as opposed to being out and out wingers (and - lest we forget - Arteta did actually experiment with Saka in a more interior role on a couple of occasions last season), but that area of the pitch is already ridiculously overcrowded.

So I for one would be very sad to see the extremely talented and promising Nwaneri jettisoned at this stage of his career - for all that he would command £40m+ of 'pure profit' to the club - and especially if, as seems pretty certain, Madueke stays. Let's face it; the whole of England saw enough of the maddening side of Madueke - the side of him that we had to suffer for a lot of last season - to understand what the problems are with him. 

If Arteta is going to keep Noni, then we have no choice but to bow to his judgment. But I'd be looking to send Ethan out on a season-long loan to another Premier League club, see how he develops, and retain his registration  (I typed that on Tuesday, btw, and the BBC are reporting that to be the case today; Wednesday). I'd hope to see Ethan return next season like we saw Saliba waltz into the side a few years ago as the finished product. And with Super Max coming up behind, that's quite some production line!

In the middle, with Jesus about to depart this looks like a straight fight between Havertz and Gyokeres. Horses for courses? There has been talk, but I cannot see the Swede being allowed to leave unless something massive drops Arsenal's way in the next fortnight. Would Ohsimen be that massive thing? - difficult to envisage. And I for one am not sold on Julian Alvarez like others are (especially as he would much prefer to go to Barcelona).

On the left, we come to the £34m bargain that Arsenal appear to have obtained in Christos Tzolis. The way he has performed in pre-season makes him a certain starter on Friday. But cover is needed. With Trossard gone, and Martinelli looking to be on his way out (something I'm very much 50/50 on), it would appear that Arsenal need something more there. The dalliance with Vinicius Jnr had us all salivating, I'm sure, but there are other alternatives out there, like Yildiz for example. I expect movement in this area.

To summarise the squad: departed - up to this point just Trossard (and thank you, Leo, for everything you did for the club) and Norgaard. With surely Jesus, Vieira and Nelson to follow. After that, perhaps Martinelli and Nwaneri (you know my thoughts). Perhaps something else needs to 'give' for something major to happen on the incomings front?

As regards arrivals, we have Bruno and Tzolis up to this point; but I'd hope and expect to see reinforcements on the right hand side of defence (looking like Konsa), and also on the left flank. But, frankly, Arsenal already look formidable - although perhaps not at PSG/Barcelona levels.

But - and I say this in all honesty - if you put a gun to my head I couldn't name a clear-cut First XI. Although perhaps, if everyone was fully fit and the Champions League final was tomorrow, I'd suggest: Raya - Timber - Saliba - Gabriel - Calafiori - Rice - Bruno - Odegaard - Saka - Havertz - Tzolis.

What is abundantly clear is that there’s a clear opportunity for Arsenal to eatablish themselvesd as a dynasty, with the opportunity to dominate for 5 years from here. They absolutely dominated City on Sunday, and that looks to be a real statement of intent. Tzolis looks to be areal bargain at this early stage. The hardest thing for Arteta may wll be juggling his troops. As for the contenders:

• How on earth are Manchester City going to bounce back from the loss of all of Guardiola, Bernardo Silva and Rodri in one summer? Remember, it was Bernardo and Rodri who dominated Arsenal in the Carabao Cup Final last season, and made the difference for them; as they did every time they played together. And with those charges still hanging over them?  The task looks impossible; especially if the Community Shield was anything to judge them by. Perhaps this may be the beginning of the end for them. I'm sure that we all hope so
• Manchester United are due a culture shock, as they suddenly need to play more than one game a week. And they surely haven't done anything like enough in the transfer market in order to be able to cope with that
•  Liverpool still require plenty of work; for all that I'd expect Iraola to be a major upgrade on Slot. They will certainly be better than last season, and we are going to see much more of both Wirtz and Isak this season, but they still need reinforcements in defence and midfield
• Aston Villa are in a transition phase. The loss of Rogers, Tielamans and Konsa is going to make life extremely difficult for them
• Chelsea are an absolute looney bin of a football club. It does look like a lot of the financial issues are going to come home to roost sooner rather than later, with rumours of Boehly looking for a way out. following his ill-judged attempts at squad building and suggestions in some quarters that their financial commitments may lead to them going into Administration in two or three years time. And wouldn't we enjoy that?!? And finally, as I am duty-bound to mention them; Tottenham Hotspur
• Tottenham are... well, frankly... still Tottenham no matter what you do with them. They have bought well - if expensively. But they surely have far too much ground to make up

For me, the way is clear. Arsenal should retain the title (for all that is always a difficult task). The other main priority then has to be the Champions League. Anything else... a bonus. But I am worryingly optimistic about this season.

Just to finish off, here’s a bit of fun. Help is needed to put together a Top XI of The Most Punchable Faces in the Premier League. We have lost some big players in this category over the summer - the likes of Romero, Cuccurella, Rodri and Bernardo Silva for starters; and it looks like Emi Martinez may go too. So who have you got to add to this list?

Bruno Fernandes

Richarlison

Alejandro Garnacho

Cole Palmer

Erling Haaland

Arsenal players are disqualified, obviously...

Now, I am going to explore possibly doing an 'On The Whistle' video at the end of every home game. If I can work out how to upload it to YouTube, that is... anyway, watch this space. And I'll be back over the weekend following Friday night's season opener at home to Fat Frank's Coventry City.

COYG!

The Last Word - "After Review"; the @marksyspeaks End of Season Review/Awards

As we rapidly close in on the start of the World Cup, I think I’d better get this out there…

So here we go, then, at the end of a season where Mikel Arteta and his squad finally reaped their reward for sustained consistency and excellence over the past few years. The Premier League trophy, two cup final appearances and a further quarter final make for a pretty decent season in my book. And - as we have seen over the past fortnight or so - a beast has been released; and that beast is the Arsenal fan base!

Before I give out a few flowers, just a few words regarding the pathetic and embarrassing torrent of abuse that has accompanied Arsenal's season/success. And also on the level of achievement that our team has reached.

In this age of social media, instant reactions and attempts to shock and wind up others mean that this nonsense is what we have come to expect these days. It happens at work, in politics, and in sport fandom; in every aspect of life, in fact. People think that they can say or do what they like whilst hiding behind a keyboard, and it's usually things they won't say to your face. Some of the most obscure and pointless people end up as minor celebrities/shock jocks - and all for spouting complete nonsense; simply for effect. Sometimes it's difficult not to rise to the bait, but please remember this: Arsenal fans, we are above/better than these people, and have the forces of good on our side. 

Let them cry. Let them moan. It's their problem; not ours. We are living totally rent-free in their heads. And - fully three weeks later - it’s still going on! More fool them!!!

Also, do not lose sight of the fact that in both Manchester City and PSG, Arsenal have been up against teams financed by literal nation states. Those clubs appear to be able to act with impunity in everything they do - those 115+ charges are still outstanding for City, and in the case of PSG you may or may not be aware that if you add up the wages they pay their players, you'd have to add up the aggregate of what the next FOUR clubs in Ligue Un pay their players in order to reach equivalent levels. Talk about tilted playing fields! So for Arsenal to beat City to the Premier League title (with relative comfort in the end), and to come within a penalty shootout of conquering a PSG side who played considerably fewer matches over the season, and in a vestly less competitive league, is a measure of how well they have done. Sure, Arsenal are hardly paupers when it comes to football finances, but there is no comparison here - especially as Arsenal’s money has been earnt organically - so do not allow anybody to belittle their achievements in the face of such stiff/unfair competition. 

Right then; let's crack on with my Arsenal Awards. I'll be giving short lists in each category, with the winner indicated in Bold. And look out for a special section at the end, which I hope you will enjoy. Let's crack on:

Player of the Season

• David Raya (a very close second)
• William Saliba
• Gabriel Maghaeles
• Declan Rice
• Ebere Eze

Most Disappointing Player of the Season

• Martin Odegaard
• Bukayo Saka (who'd have thought?)
• Gabriel Martinelli
• Noni Madueke (Noni Noendproduct, as I call him)

Goal of the Season

• Gabriel Martinelli's equaliser vs Manchester City
• Zubimendi's volley vs Nottingham Forest
• Eze's hat-trick goal vs Tottenham
• Trossard's rocket at Sunderland
• Eze's winner vs Newcastle (home)
• Max Dowman vs Everton

Moment of the Season

• Gabriel Martinelli's equaliser vs Manchester City
• Gabriel's late winner at Newcastle
• Max Dowman's goal vs Everton
• Trossard's goal at West Ham
• "After Review: West Ham's number 19"...

Worst Moment of the Season

• Sunderland’s late equaliser
• Wolves’ late equaliser 
• Buendia last minute winner
• Haaland goal for 2-1
• Bournemouth at home. The whole afternoon 
• Gabriel’s penalty

I think that’ll do as regards awards. But I’d like to give extra flowers to Mikel (obviously), to Nicolas Jover, and especially to Gabriel Heinze who - whilst Carlos Cuesta had done an excellent job in his time at the club - appears to have injected a streak of steel and ruthlessness into the players.

It’s been great to see everyone pulling in the same direction; from Board and Management, to the playing staff and also to the fans - who have really started to get their act together and started to turn the stadium into a fortress. The scenes pre-Atletico won’t escape anybody’s memories any time soon, and the tifos have really got the mark. 

So… what’s next? Well, the switch in Chief Medical Officer recently announced would appear to mean that the club have acknowledged certain issues; after all, we’ve seen the likes of Havertz, Odegaard, Saka and Timber out for far longer than may have been expected during the course of the season. But it’s what happens next personnel-wise that’s going to be most interesting, as the club look to kick on further. 

There’s a clear opportunity, with City sure to need a reset, United due a culture shock as they suddenly need to play more than one game a week, Liverpool requiring plenty of defensive work, and other sides lagging well behind. As far as Arsenal are concerned, I reckon that there are probably sufficient numbers, and its quality as opposed to quantity that needs to be addressed. I’m not going to speculate, but I’d expect there to be questions about then Arsenal future of several players - but after naming them below I’ll merely leave it at that, and not speculate.

So… Kepa, White, Calafiori (?), Odegaard, Norgaard,  Nwaneri (?), Madueke, Martinelli, Trossard, Jesus. How are you going to play it, Mikel?

Meanwhile, with the likes of MLS, Nwaneri (hopefully) and Dowman coming through the ranks, the future continues to look bright.

Just to finish off, here’s a bit of fun. My Top 10 Most Punchable Faces in the Premier League. Feel free to add some more, but here’s a decent starting point:

Bruno Fernandes

Richarlison

Marc Cuccurella 

Emi Martinez

Alejandro Garnacho

Cole Palmer

Bernardo Silva 

Rodri

Erling Haaland

Djed Spence 

Anyway, enjoy the World Cup and your summer. Come on England (maybe - just maybe - it’s coming home?), and - of course - COYG!