I’m writing this on Bank Holiday Monday morning, so I/we are yet to go through the ups and downs of watching Everton vs Manchester City. For the moment, however, things are considerably rosier in our world than they were a week ago.
This thanks to a thumping 3-0 win over Fulham; one that saw a late change of direction from Arteta - one that may yet have repercussions for years to come if he sticks to these guns. I’ll come back to that later.
Yet again, I was unable to make the game. The previous one out of choice, but this one out of necessity as I am currently out of action due to a nasty little hospital procedure I went through last week (I’ll spare you the gory details, but hope to pass an LFT - late fitness test for the uninitiated- in order to attend the Atletico game tomorrow). So my wife plus one daughter were in attendance in my place; both coming home to tell me how much the stadium was buzzing - and that as a consequence I was banned from going back as it could surely be no coincidence! Harsh, I feel.
Team news - surprising and exciting! Of course, it wasn’t good to have lost Odegaard yet again (those who moan about him, by the way, don’t know football in my humble opinion). However, the various decisions Arteta made on changes to team structure looked on the face of it to be highly significant.
When up against a mid-table side with little to play for, the choice of a finally fit again Calafiori over Hincapie (for whom I do not have a single bad word, by the way) looked obvious. Further forward, Bukayo Saka was deemed fit enough to start; and it wouldn’t be rocket science to say that he could be the key to the rest of Arsenal’s season. Elsewhere, Havertz’s unavailability meant another start for Big Vik, Trossard was back in the side for Martinelli, and most interestingly of all the manager chose to rest the jaded Zubimendi but not play Christian Norgaard in his place - instead plumping for MLS! Bold… an ‘eureka moment’ in fact; and should it have failed leaving Arteta open to criticism - and MLS himself to a possible ‘sliding doors’ moment in his career.
Fulham were apparently decimated by illness - and all pundits should caveat thoughts on this game with that - but history suggested that Arsenal were very likely to triumph in any case as the away side have NEVER won away to Arsenal. A remarkable statistic.
MLS helped set the tone from early on. Having broken into the side out of necessity in an alien role last season, this was the first chance he had had to start a first team game in his ‘proper’ position - central midfield. Along with the imperious Declan Rice, Myles helped Arsenal dominate the game - as they did almost throughout - from the very start. He kept things simple: recycling the ball from either between the centre backs or slightly further forward. His passing accuracy was 97%, and his Super Power - protecting the ball and winning duels and free kicks - was 100%. Whilst I sense that Zubi will be back on Tuesday against more serious opposition in Atleti, MLs will have certainly given his manager something to think about now.
We should not analyse this game without giving some attention to the choice of wingers. Instead of the ‘headless chickens’ - Martinelli and Madueke - Arteta went with Trossard as the foil for Saka on the other side of the pitch. The selection of two more cerebral, tactically aware players over the ‘mercurial’ (I’m being polite) two Ms could again signal the way forward for the rest of the season. Fulham were presented with problems all over the pitch, and with Gyokeres having his best game in an Arsenal shirt they were really up against it.
I won’t go into a minute-by-minute analysis here - there’s no need, as you’ve seen the game - but I just wanted to home in on a few noteworthy issues:
Firstly, Bukayo Saka makes a massive difference. As I’ve said, that’s not rocket science, but his ability to receive the ball on the half turn and keep his marker guessing make a huge difference when compared to the hit and miss dribbling qualities of the two Ms. In this game - and possibly for the first time - we also saw a real connection with Gyokeres. One that led to two goals.
Secondly, I really liked the offensive balance of this team. With Eze in the 10 role, there was a fluidity to Arsenal's attacking play that we have not seen for a while. The combinations of White and Saka on the right, Trossard and the unpredictable Calafiori on the left, Eze knitting it all together from the centre, Gyokeres’ intelligent movement and the dynamism of Rice - backed up by MLS - made for an irresistible mix with which Fulham could not cope. There was much more of a Cherki/Doku/Semenyo vibe to it, and I for one really appreciated the change in focus.
Whilst this shape may need to be reviewed for Tuesday - and should Arsenal reach the CL final - this surely makes for a blueprint to use against the remaining three inferior domestic opponents. The shackles had to come off at some stage, and perhaps Arteta has belatedly solved the puzzle that has been bothering him all season. With Havertz, Odegaard, Timber and maybe Merino to return, it is just possible that the squad are going to be at full throttle at precisely the time that they need to be.
This could also influence transfer business going forward. Whilst Arsenal have looked ponderous and predictable over the past few weeks in a different shape and with a different emphasis, it’s just possible that the manager has stumbled on some internal solutions which could save the club a lot of money going forward.
We’d expect certain players to depart in the summer; Jesus, the under-used Norgaard, probably Ben White, one of Trossard and Martinelli, maybe Madueke and perhaps even Martin Odegaard too. But where we had probably been expecting much more churn in the summer it’s just possible that - having seen what MLS has just done - the reintroduction of Nwaneri, plus the raw potential of Dowman may - should Arteta decide to put his trust in them - mean that transfer funds could be used far more selectively. The ceiling doesn’t need to be raised by that much - Arsenal are, after all, top of the PL and in the CL semi finals - but a strategic raising of the floor that could see the manager have the confidence to rotate more frequently could be the missing element that could turn this side into a dynasty. Of course, I’m getting ahead of myself, as they’ve still won nothing this season.
But for now the focus switches firmly back onto Manchester City now. They find themselves 6 points and 4 goals behind, albeit with two games in hand but with undoubtably trickier fixtures than their rivals. Starting with Everton away, and including a perilous-looking trip to in-form Bournemouth. And with something of a fixture pileup to boot. Psychologically, a switch has been flicked. And if Arsenal negotiate Tuesday successfully that will give them a further boost.
Here’s a quick (and somewhat childish and pointless) look at the remaining fixtures - with score predictions:
Everton 1 Manchester City 2
Manchester City 3 Brentford 1
West Ham 0 Arsenal 3
Manchester City 6 Crystal Palace 0
Arsenal 4 Burnley 0
Bournemouth 2 Manchester City 2
Crystal Palace 0 Arsenal 3
Manchester City 3 Aston Villa 0
This gives Arsenal the title by two points. But if City also go 100% also gives Arsenal the edge on goal difference. I’d rather be playing West Ham and Burnley than Everton, Brentford and Bournemouth!
Let’s see. City do have a Terminator in their ranks, after all… But one thing is for sure; they have to play catch-up from here on in. But maybe - just maybe - these next few weeks won’t be the hard watch that we were all expecting them to be just a few days ago.
Perhaps we can genuinely start enjoying watching Arsenal again. I sure hope so.
Just a couple of quick things before I go. Firstly, great to see a presentation to the BFG; a real club man who has served Arsenal brilliantly; firstly as a player and latterly as Academy Manager. Thanks for everything, Per.
And secondly a word for Unai Emery, whose Aston Villa side put in a putrid performance at home to Tottenham yesterday. For a supposedly 'elite' manager, you'd have thought he'd have worked out how to juggle domestic competition and the latter stages of European competitions. But he managed to do what nobody has done all season - make Spurs look good. For that, he deserves to fail on Thursday, and to finish 6th. Pathetic.
Still, Tottenham are very much of secondary interest. Let's focus on Arsenal.
COYG!
