Perspective, Please

Whilst we endure yet another Interlull (although this one could be very timely) it's time for a bit of perspective following a difficult match on Saturday. So let's try:

Oh no! Calamity! Arsenal's season is falling apart! Really? If you listen to, or read, some of the nonsense being spouted on social media you'd think that Arsenal's season has collapsed over the weekend, and that the title is heading for Manchester. Which is a ludicrous over-reaction to the weekend's results. Because I'll tell you this; a point at Sunderland is not going to look too shabby a result by the end of the season. They're a decent side, who have bought extremely well and fully deserve their lofty perch in the PL table.

And so to business; a review of Saturday's match. And we'll start with some context; because no matter how big one's squad is, it is never big enough. Arsenal's cluster of injuries in attack had left them quite threadbare, so on this day Arteta was unable to call upon Odegaard, Havertz, Madueke, Martinelli, Jesus... and now Viktor Gyokeres too. That sort of injury list, all in the same area of the pitch, is going to hurt any team.

The eleven essentially picked itself, with Mikel Merino - fresh from a brace in Prague in midweek - the only feasible choice to lead the line. Alongside him it was always going to be Saka and Trossard, whilst Eze was inevitably preferred to the somewhat unfortunate Ethan Nwaneri. Behind them, the rest of the team picked itself.

Sunderland have got off to a cracking start to the season. They have surprised a lot of people, and whilst there is likely to be a reversion to the mean, so to speak (something we are perhaps already seeing with the likes of Bournemouth and Fulham), I can't see any chance whatsoever of them being sucked anywhere close to a relegation battle. They have a canny manager, some vital experience in the ranks, and a style of play that a lot of sides are going to find it hard to deal with.

And a quite unique atmosphere. Their home support is loud - very loud - and they put on a fantastic show for Remembrance Sunday prior to the game. They are unbeaten at home this season, and it's easy to understand how much of a lift playing in front of those fans must be giving them.

Now, in truth, the first half of this game is probably the worst 45 minutes (plus interminable injury time) that I think I've ever seen. Sunderland's physicality, alongside an appalling performance from referee Pawson, made the game ridiculously stop-start. Which played right into the home team's hands. Arsenal were unable to find any rhythm whatsoever, whilst the ball spent twice as long out of play as in it as the home team set about their illustrious opponents.

On 4 minutes, Arsenal hit the 13-hour mark for not conceding a goal. In these modern times, that it a remarkable statistic. Although the streak was soon to be shattered. But before that I want to deal with the first bit of poor work from Pawson. 

In just the 5th minute Merino went up for a header in the Sunderland area with Ballard (a former Arsenal academy player, as we were told on umpteen occasions), and received a pointy elbow to the temple. Anywhere else on the field, that's a foul. But as far as Sky - and the written media, as I later read - were concerned, it was accidental. Just leverage... But Merino spent 5 minutes being treated. I mean... come on! For me, that should have been a penalty!

The game continued to be almost unwatchable, with Arsenal dominating but not doing much with the possession, and Sunderland staying in their shape... and being extremely physical. Rice's free kick was pushed away by Roefs, but apart from the occasional breakaway from Sunderland, relieving the pressure, it was pretty awful stuff. With referee Pawson happy to let a lot of the physicality go.

Until... with Sunderland having conceded free kick after free kick, it was inevitable that an Arsenal player would be first into the referee's book in the 36th minute - for what I'd suggest probably wasn't even a foul. Zubimendi the man penalised. And, just to rub salt into the wound, Sunderland scored.

Interesting. The free kick was just inside the Sunderland half, and in order to pile extra numbers into the box the goalkeeper took it; not a defender, as one might expect, so early in proceedings. And thanks to an Arsenal mistake - in this case Rice found himself the wrong side of the high ball and let it bounce - Ballard ran off him and slammed the ball high into Raya's net. 812 minutes; it wasn't going to last forever, was it?

The game was a little more even from then until half time. And I started to get some unpleasant vibes. You remember them? - the ones we used to get 20+ years ago when facing Pulis's Stoke, or Allardyce's Bolton. Those physical sides that hit the ball long, played the percentages, and put the silkier Arsenal players under the cosh. With little protection from the referee, that plan was working.

But here's the thing. It's all cyclical, isn't it? All the talk about set piece goals and long throws; it's nothing new. It's just come round again. As have those old 'play the percentages' tactics. It's just a question of how you adapt to them. But more relevant to me, as I downed my half-time pilsner, was the question of whether this was a template for others to follow. And so it was vital that Arsenal responded quickly to the challenge in front of them.

And respond they did. From the whistle, it was immediately better from Arsenal. Moving the ball more quickly, looking to slip the ball between the narrow lines and between the bigger but less nimble Sunderland defenders. Eze a bit more involved. Rice and Zubimendi pulling the strings. Saka and Trossard suddenly more available. Early on, Starboy pulled a decent opportunity wide of the far post following some intricate play on the left hand side of the Sunderland area.

On 54 minutes, the pressure broke Sunderland's resistance. Although it was an error that allowed the opportunity. Le Fee (French for The Elf btw) turned into the pressing Rice instead of away from him, and suddenly there was a chance. Rice found Eze, the ball made its way to Merino inside the box, and the Spaniard set up Saka exquisitely for an emphatic right foot finish at Roefs' near post. On the balance of play, this was the least that Arsenal deserved.

And so it continued, with the away side well on top and a second goal looking inevitable. Trossard nutmegged a defender and found Zubimendi's late run into the box; with the Spaniard just unable to find the target from 6 yards out. Rice's deflected shot found its way to Eze on the edge of the box, but the acrobatic shot was straight at the goalkeeper. Eze's effort was too well hit! And then the closest of all. Saka's cross was punched away by Roefs to Zubimendi on the edge of the box. In a style reminiscent of a famous Matt Le Tissier goal, the Spaniard volleyed back over the goalkeeper and onto the crossbar. So close; and I for one roared both in awe at the skill, and frustration at quite how close it was; as Eze's follow up effort was blocked.

The inevitable happened on 74 minutes, Zubimendi found Trossard 20 yards out, and the Belgian shuffled the ball from side to side as he looked for an opening. And then... bang! He rifled a rising shot into the top corner of the net from fully 20 yards out. A cracking finish, and yet another important goal contribution from the vastly under-appreciated winger.

And now the boot was on the other foot. Sunderland had already made a triple change as Le Bris sought to change the flow of the game, yet Arsenal - severely depleted I grant you - had made none. And within 5 minutes, with Sunderland now forced to press for the equaliser, there was some frantic action in the Arsenal box that led to a fantastic double save from Raya to keep out substitute Brobbey's efforts. The second save superb. The Sunderland substitute was offside, but Raya wasn't to know. It's fair to say that all those clean sheets don't come about purely by luck.

Arteta's only change, as it turned out, was the late introduction of Mosquera for Eze in order to shore things up. And it was certainly a case of looking to park the bus as the momentum and flow of the match naturally shifted. Arsenal showed less and less ambition as the home side started to reapply pressure. Of course, Arsenal trust themselves to see such situations through, but in this instance a series of small errors allowed the equaliser. 

94th minute. Ballard, marked by Zubimendi and not a central defender as a Hume cross was chipped in towards Ballard - now playing as a striker. The header fell for Brobbey, as Gabriel was caught flat-footed, and he beat Raya to the ball and hooked it home into the unguarded net. Had Raya not looked to come out and catch the flick on, it would have been a simple save. Really quite annoying.

Here's a thing. Arsenal conceding two goals in a game is really rather rare. That's the first time this season (17 matches, and only the 4th and 5th goals conceded all season), and it only happened 12 times in a total of 58 matches last season; three of those in the Carabao Cup, and another in a completely dead rubber of a second leg against PSV). The last time they let in more than two was in December 2023 at Luton (and they won that game 4-3). So let's not be too concerned at this point.

And quickly back to the game. Because Arsenal still almost won it! Calafiori's header from a Saka cross was saved by Roefs, and Merino's follow-up was blocked at point blank range. So close to breaking their hearts. And so, annoyingly, points 6 and 7 of the season dropped. Just 26 points out of a possible 33 secured. Hardly shabby.

Afterwards Arteta said: 'The feeling is disappointment and frustration, because we wanted the three points and we had to overcome a very difficult match. You have to defend the box well when they start to accumulate 6 or 7 players. It can happen in play, in throw-ins, in any situation. We can defend those situations better, and today we did not do it'. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Of course, the media narrative that Manchester City's thrashing of Liverpool on Sunday prompted is designed to create debate. And City are certainly looking good (for context, Liverpool are not!). And so the gap is down to a 'mere' 4 points.  But I'll say this: there is certainly no need for concern. With missing players due to return for what is on paper a challenging week, any supposed evidence that Arsenal are fading on the back of a single slightly disappointing result can be taken with a massive pinch of salt. Honestly - there is no cause for concern at this stage.

So let's put our feet up, hope for a clean bill of health from our international players above all, mind the gap!

COYG! 

Further Clear; But Can We Discuss Rotation?

Right then. We're a quarter of the way through the season now (save for Sunderland vs Everton on Monday evening). So it's probably time for a progress review. 

As far as Arsenal are concerned, we saw another win on Saturday; another clean sheet; another game of minimal xGA. And, on the face of things, all looks rosy. But I do have some qualms; which I will cover shortly.

But I’ll first cover a match very much of two halves - before pondering the consequences of some of what went on. 

With William Saliba recovered from his knock, Mikel Arteta was able to name what is currently - in the absence of Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz- clearly his first choice XI for the trip to Turf Moor. And Arsenal’s first half performance was almost as complete as one could hope for. They looked in total control, and barely gave the home side a kick.

The pattern was set from early on. As expected, Burnley sat back, content to keep their shape, and looked to press only when Arsenal reached their third of the pitch. And for a while it looked like being another of those frustrating days. Until... in the 14th minute Leandro Trossard - in his 100th PL start for the Gunners - looked to find Gyokeres in his favourite left channel, and the ball deflected off of a defender for - cue dramatic music - a corner!!!

Declan Rice's superb delivery to the far post was diverted back across goal by... Gabriel, obviously; for Gyokeres to head home unmarked from not much more than a yard. One nil to the Arsenal. Set Piece FC. And all those cliches. But frankly, at the rate that Arsenal are conceding shots on target - let alone goals - these days, it was probably already game over.

Now, on the subject of set pieces, and opponents' mindsets, there must be an absolute fear of conceding them to a side with such a fearsome reputation. Which must surely feed into the whole drama of the dead ball situation. And do you know what? - good! Let them have those jitters. It can only help. And I would add this; the moment last season when Arteta and Jover switched from Trossard to Rice for dead ball deliveries from the left was an absolute game-changer for this team. He is peerless. Beckham-esque. And that, combined with the desire shown by the likes of Gabriel in the war zone of the 6-yard box, means that it's only a matter of the law of averages before Arsenal score from one. And if I can just add one final point; surely the age of the out swinging corner is dead now?

Once the goal had gone in, Arsenal began - if anything - to dominate even more. Some clever play from Trossard and Gyokeres gave Calafiori (naturally right up in the centre forward position) a decent opportunity. And Saka - twice put through by Gyokeres - could/should have scored twice (my personal disappointment multiplied by my choice of Starboy as my FPL captain for the week). One shot scuffed, and the other brilliantly stopped by the overworked Dubravka. And on the back of the second Saka chance, Trossard's shot was blocked on the line. So close to 2-0.

Then on 35 minutes it absolutely was game over. And Arsenal showed another side to their game. From a Burnley long throw Gabriel headed clear, Saka headed the ball on, and suddenly Gyokeres was free in acres of space on the counter attack. Now, if the Swede meant to find Trossard with the sweeping crossfield pass he played from near the half way line, it was a stroke of absolute genius. And as Trossard jockeyed for space Arsenal players swarmed the penalty area. From defence to dangerous attack in under 10 seconds. Trossard waited, then picked out Declan Rice with a left foot dink 10 yards out. The subsequent header was emphatic, giving Dubravka no chance. What. A. Goal!

Oh, and RIP Auntie Beverley:

It wasn't quite over for the half, as Trossard missed a chance following a clever short corner and a trademark dink over the top from Zubimendi. If it was a boxing match, the referee would surely have stopped it at that point. Two goals up at the break - and it could so easily have been 5.

At this point I want to give credit to the three players who demonstrated Arsenal's domination in the first half. Firstly, the much-maligned Trossard, whose guile caused Kyle Walker a ton of trouble and whose clever interplay with Gyokeres and Calafiori kept Burnley firmly on their toes. To think that a lot of us would have been happy to see him leave last summer...

Secondly to Big Vik, who had his most effective game in an Arsenal shirt so far. The rest in midweek had clearly done him a world of good, and if that's anything to go by the return of Havertz is only going to enhance Arsenal's attacking threat as the season goes on.  He didn't reappear for the second half - Arteta citing a slight muscular issue. Let's hope that it's merely precautionary, as there are two more matches this week. And he'll be needed.

And finally to Declan Rice. There's a lot of debate as to quite how good Dec is in comparison to the very best central midfielders that the Premier League has to offer. Many are bigging up Moises Caicedo, and of course there's always Rodri to consider. Now, it's difficult to compare chalk and cheese, as whilst Rice was bought to be a '6' he has evolved to a box-to-box midfielder these days, whereas the other two are primarily defensive midfielders; and very good ones at that. However, Declan's all-round game is starting to bring comparisons to the likes of the Premier League greats - players like Gerrard and Lampard. Yes, he really is that good, and I wouldn't swap him for anybody.

Against Burnley, Rice's first half was a complete a performance as one could expect to see from a midfielder. Full of energy. Reading the game. Showing strength in the challenge. Totally dominant in every single aspect. Ridiculous stats, as per the infographic below. 

I would add this, however. He can't do all this without having Zubimendi backing him up. And those two centre backs behind him. It's absolutely a team effort. But on this day Rice was the standout player on the pitch.

The second half was pretty much a non-event as far as action was concerned. For all his qualities, Merino - who replaced Gyokeres - does not run in behind and drag defenders about. He prefers to come short to receive the ball. So Arsenal's second half tactics were of necessity different. And they frankly cruised through the rest of the match, content with their two goal cushion. Saying that; they still had three decent opportunities; via Trossard, substitute Nwaneri, who put in yet another cameo full of promise, and even Norgaard got in on the act late on; forcing a decent save out of Dubravka. There was, however, a further small cloud on the horizon as Zubimendi also had to leave the field with a niggle. And I'll return to this point soon...

It wasn't until very close to the end of the game before Burnley had a little bit of success, with two late headers going high or wide of goal. And the final kick of the game - a free kick from former Tottenham youngster Edwards - saw Raya's left hand upright hit with the goalkeeper scrambling. What was great to see throughout that half was the determination from the team - despite the comfort of the lead - not to concede anything to the opposition. They sniffed out pretty much every sign of danger. And that is why they haven't let in a goal for so long. Clean Sheet FC.

Just look at this sequence so far this season: 1-0, 5-0, 0-1, 3-0, 2-0, 1-1, 2-0, 2-1, 2-0, 1-0, 1-0, 4-0, 1-0, 2-0, 2-0. Incredible; and definitely shades of the incredible Chelsea side of the mid-2000s that Mourinho put together. 6 points clear as I type (although that may reduce to 5 if Sunderland win this evening). And this of course sets up a big weekend next week prior to the final Interlull of the year. Arsenal at Sunderland. Liverpool at Manchester City. I don't want to project too far ahead, but after the break Arsenal have a massive week - Tottenham, Bayern Munich, Chelsea away. If they come through that unscathed, then I'll be calling for the Premier League engraver to get to work!

As for the opposition, there's really only Manchester City who have any momentum. Bournemouth surely cannot last the distance. Ditto Sunderland. Liverpool need some consistency and look far too open defensively. Chelsea are equally inconsistent. And Tottenham or Manchester United... well; seriously?  And if it's really only down to City to put the pressure on, their reliance on Haaland is freakish. In fact, I can't understand why they're not getting the grief that Arsenal continue to receive for their set piece dominance. 

I watched a good part of the City vs Bournemouth game yesterday. The away side played into City's hands; unable to adjust to the movement of Bernardo Silva, Cherki and Doku, and giving Haaland far too much space as a result (he doesn't need much).

And I can guarantee you this; there is no way that they'll play the same way when they play against Arsenal. It'll be low block again, or Arsenal will tear them apart if they defend like they did yesterday. 

So... things are going swimmingly at the moment. But the news about Gyokeres and Zubimendi does ring alarm bells for me. Because whilst Arteta has an amazing squad at his disposal, he doesn't seem that disposed to make use of it. I suspect that he needs to plan ahead just a little. Plan to rotate up to three players in and out of the starting XI in order to keep them fresh. We saw a certain lack of cohesion - especially in defensive midfield - when he made no less than 10 changes in midweek, and that's perfectly understandable. But perhaps he ought to take a few out against Slavia Prague in midweek; Sunderland will be tougher opposition. With the status of Gyokeres and Zubimendi in doubt (Zubi suspended in the CL of course), and whilst we await the return of Martinelli, Odegaard, Havertz and Madueke, he needs to be mindful of using his resources more carefully. I do hope that he's having these conversations with his team.

Anyway, two more big games this week. Let's keep the momentum going. COYG!