The Great Siege Of Manchester

2-2 doesn't tell the whole story, does it? So much to discuss. So much to unpack. So much to be proud of. So much to be angry about. So let's just crack on. 

The whole world was watching, so I won't go into too much detail about the game; except in the context of the points I have to make. And I don't really know where to start! But let's have a go:

Firstly, City had to step up to top gear to get anything from Arsenal. Which they don't often need to do. They started very quickly, and it's difficult to do anything but admire Haaland's goal; scored so early, and so brilliantly, especially as Arsenal hadn't at that point quite got to grips with the way Pep had set his team out. The goal had everything to do with how Pep's tactics exploited the space between Arsenal's centre backs and full backs by using the full width of the pitch, thus allowing the twin Number 10s to get closer to Arsenal's defence than was comfortable. For the goal, the movement of Gundogan and Savinho (plus the latter's exquisite pass) freed Haaland in acres of space. After that, the timing of the run, the first touch and the finish were quite magnificent. Neither Saliba nor Raya had any chance.

But Haaland, for all his undoubted footballing prowess, is a nasty piece of work. When things got tight towards the end he had no compunction with throwing his weight around - illegally - as well as resorting to taunts and abuse. There was the ball-throwing incident in the aftermath of the equaliser. The shoulder charge on Gabriel. A 'Who the f*ck are you?' to Miles Lewis-Skelly. And the supposed 'banter' with Arteta and Arsenal players at the end of the game. 'Stay humble, eh', he had the audacity to tell the opposing manager... Classless.     

Talking of throwing one's weight around, I should now mention my complete lack of sympathy for Rodri. In the first few seconds, he deliberately blocked off Havertz; and then did his best to get the German into trouble. Later on, his attempt to block Partey off at a corner, trying to win a penalty off of it, in fact - led to a self-inflicted injury - possibly even an ACL tear. Here is yet another world-class City player, used to bullying the opposition, rotational fouling and generally getting his own way at all times, who received his comeuppance. Karma. As my much-missed dad was wont to say: 'I hope it's nothing trivial.' 

City will certainly miss Rodri while he's out injured; 8 months should cover it, please... City simply never lose when Rodri is in the team. Let's see how they cope.

It was Rodri who questioned Arsenal's 'ambition' in an interview last season. In the aftermath of this match, John Stones and - especially - Bernardo Silva did the same. They are rattled; and it's only the mutual respect between Pep and Mikel that stops this from bubbling over into something very unpleasant. The return game, in February, will be a doozy!

And so to Arsenal's two goals, which turned the match on its head. 

There's lots to pick out with the equaliser. 

1. Where the initial foul occurred, compared to where the free kick was taken from. No biggie, frankly.

2. The fact that following the whistle for the foul Bernardo Silva carried the ball 15 yards away - was that a yellow card offence? 

3. Michael Oliver calling the captain's together to try to calm the game down, and then allegedly allowing Arsenal to restart before Walker was back in position (red herring; he WAS back in position). 

4. Gabriel Martinelli - was his assist the lighting of the blue touch paper for his season? 

And 5. What a finish from Riccardo Califiori! Reminiscent of Saliba's sublime effort against Bournemouth in its execution, but with the stakes so much higher here. What a way to announce yourself onto the scene!

And to see the City players whinge, and Pep lash out at his own chair - magical...

For the go-ahead goal... well, we shouldn't be surprised any more, should we? City had had a warning just a few moments before, and despite changing the marker on Gabriel it was so well-worked that it was frankly inevitable. Stick it on a loop; clever blocking-off in the 6-yard area; runs from back to front; Saka's delivery on a sixpence; and Gabriel thumping the ball into the roof of the net. Rinse and repeat. The only difference between this week and last was the colour of the shirts.

And then... and haven't we been here before? Haven't Arsenal - and only Arsenal - been here before. Of all the incidences of kicking the ball away so far this season, which team have been most severely punished; by, say, the awarding of second yellow cards?  

Trossard had already been booked for a shirt pull; and quite rightly. He then barged into Bernardo Silva, and as the ball ran loose - and Oliver's whistle blew - booted the ball into the path of Gabriel Martinelli, who was in tons of space. All within a second of the whistle sounding; and reminiscent once more of Robin Van Persie's sending off in Barcelona all those years ago. As with Declan Rice against Brighton, by the letter of the Law it's a bookable offence (whether it ought to be is another matter entirely), and thus by the letter of the Law he had to go. But...

We had the earlier incident with Bernardo Silva that I referenced above. And another involving Doku. No action taken. And I should mention an incident the previous week involving Dominik Szloboszlai of Liverpool, who did something remarkably similar, but more blatantly, and was not punished for it. The referee that day? Michael Oliver. 

This is the same Michael Oliver who decided not to send Matteo Kovacic off at The Emirates last season for two vicious tackles from behind (on Rice and Odegaard) because - and I quote Howard Webb here - 'Michael doesn't like to have a negative impact in a big game'. With it being an Arsenal player, he couldn't get the cards out quick enough!

Regular readers of this blog will know that I don't go in for conspiracy theories... I'd really prefer to regard all referees as suffering from various stages of incompetence. But here are a few facts about Michael Oliver and his relationship with Abu Dhabi.

1. He was paid £20,000 in 2023 to go out to the UAE to referee a match in a tournament sponsored by The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company - owned by the owner of Manchester City. Accompanied, by the way, by both of yesterday's linesmen.

2. Subsequently, he failed to punish Kovacic (as mentioned above). He also failed to penalise Jeremy Doku for a chest high assault on Liverpool's Alexis MacAllister towards the end of last season, that would have meant a late - and in my eyes stone bonk certain - penalty to Liverpool. He also failed to award Chelsea a penalty for a pretty clear handball by Jack Grealish in last year's FA Cup semi final.

3. It's probably mere coincidence, but the Manchester City Director of Football is Ferran Soriano. I am pretty sure that he was Director of Football at Barcelona - who of course were found guilty of bribing referees - when RVP got his marching orders. Pure coincidence, of course...

As I say, no conspiracy theory. But even if there's no skullduggery going on - and the game would be finished if it were - there's surely some unconscious bias affecting the man's judgement? I'll leave it at that. And I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions.

What it did mean, of course, was that the second half was virtually unwatchable as a spectacle. The biggest game in the biggest competition on world football ruined by the decision to send Trossard off. As Mikel Arteta described it: Michael Oliver's decision 'forces you to play a game that nobody wanted to watch'. Nailed it. Nobody wants to watch 50 minutes of attack vs defence.

And it was, inevitably, a siege. It's difficult enough to play against that lot with 11 vs 11, let alone a man down. Arsenal had very little choice but to go ultra-defensive and try to hold on to their lead. Perhaps they could have attempted to have an outlet, but it's difficult when the opposition are suffocating you. Ben White, despite nursing an injury, replaced Saka and Arsenal went 5-4-0, which soon became 6-3-0. And they hung on, And hung on. City could do very little more than take pot shots from outside the penalty area, as space was at such a premium. David Raya made save after save. Saliba and Gabriel organised and organised. Thomas Partey, contrary to all expectations as he played his third game in a week, was magnificent in his shielding work. Arsenal tried delaying tactics; everything they knew.  

And it almost paid off. It was only in the 8th minute of 7 added that City finally equalised. Arsenal legs had finally gone, as they reached the last throes of the third of three intense away games in a week (City had had three home matches, and a day more to prepare for this match). A short corner had defenders on heels, City worked it around for the umpteenth time, and following some pinball the ball reached an unmarked John Stones 10 yards out. 2-2... cue home delirium, and Haaland's disgraceful behaviour. Who's celebrating a draw now, Rodri?

So near, and yet so far. An Arsenal win would have been seismic for the Premier League. And yet... I am sure that we're all supremely proud of the effort put in by the players. And what this illustrates yet again is that the gap is continuing to close. The reason that City are trash-talking is that they are extremely concerned. Arsenal are becoming elite; they just need the trophies to show for it. We cannot doubt their 'cojones', nor their quality. 

If only we could get through a game, or a series of games, without any controversy. Arsenal have the 11 points I predicted were the minimum they needed after this stretch of games. But it could so easily have been 15. And for a little while now it does get easier. We're right in this, I suspect that we'll stay right in it, and there's still the matter of  the 115 charges... 

This is Arsenal's year. I can feel it. COYG!

Angel Gabriel

Bragging rights remain ‘as you were’, and Arsenal stay in touch with Manchester City prior to next Sunday's massive encounter at The Etihad, as the away team - badly depleted in midfield due to injury and (ludicrous) suspension - comfortably saw off a disappointing Tottenham side at The New Toilet Bowl.

Interestingly, the feeling I was getting pre-game from Spurs fans of my acquaintance on social media was that despite Arsenal's perceived midfield weaknesses, and it perhaps being their best chance to win a NLD in a few years now, that they still didn't expect to do so. Whilst from what I've seen and heard from all but the biggest cry-babies in our fanbase about the squad being too small, the transfer window having been mismanaged and Edu Out, the sensible amongst us merely looked beyond what Arsenal didn't have available to what they did have, and tried to work out how Arteta would solve the conundrum without throwing their toys out of the window.

I listened to a few podcasts prior to the game, and read what others were suggesting on X etc, but as it turned out I managed to predict the starting XI exactly. I was fortunate enough to spend last week in New York (a break sensibly organised to coincide with the Interlull), and my wife and I had a very pleasant Thursday lunch in the company of Matt Kandela - @mattkandela on X -  from the excellent The Arsenal Opinion podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@TheArsenalOpinion - where we discussed all things Arsenal; and the chat went on so long that we were comfortably the last people out of the restaurant! 

Matt will vouch that I got the XI spot on; when I gave the following reasoning: Arteta doesn't like to put square pegs in round holes, so  he'd make as few positional changes as he could get away with. So he'd go with a 'double pivot' - necessitated by the qualities of the two midfield veterans who were available - and that he'd play Saka and Havertz in their best positions and use Martinelli's pace in order to try to exploit Tottenham's high line. Which would leave Trossard to play in the hole behind Havertz (although they would interchange). As for Ethan Nwaneri; his time will come - and perhaps would have come if this had been the likes of Leicester or Southampton at home - but there was no way that Arteta was going to start him in a game of this enormity if he hadn't made an appearance when the team were 2-0 up to Wolves or Aston Villa earlier in the season. Jesus and Sterling to come off the bench as and when needed. There you go...

It was no surprise to see Tottenham start strongly, and for the first 15 minutes or so Arsenal did struggle to get a grip on the game as they were somewhat penned back - as they were at other times during the game; Declan Rice was badly missed, with Partey and the rusty Jorginho struggling to make up the ground early on. At the same time, the returning Solanke did manage to give Saliba one or two early moments of concern before he faded in the second half (the latter booked - as only Arsenal players are these days on the basis of 'letter of the Law' - for delaying a restart after pulling back on the centre forward's shirt). But Arsenal were far more penetrative, even with the limited possession they were afforded, and soon began to get to grips with what Spurs were trying to do.

True, Raya made a couple of decent early saves - the type of save you'd expect him to make, frankly - and was dominant on crosses (are you watching Vicario?) throughout. And the wind began to fall out of Spurs' sails as early as the 15th minute. Some may argue that it was 'attack vs defence', but for me it was a team desperate to score - but not sure how to - against a team who were utterly confident in their ability to defend. 

With the double pivot doing a more than adequate job - for all that Spurs picked on Jorginho whenever he was in possession - the back 4 looked as solid as ever. Difficult to single any of them out, with Timber contributing as well down the left as White did on the right, and with Saliba and Gabriel finally pocketing Solanke. I tell you what it reminded me of; a boxer egging his opponent onto him and force him to use up loads of physical and mental energy; only to strike back when the moment was right. Something Mohammed Ali was rather good at.

At the other end Martinelli seems to have started to re-find some of his mojo - although he clearly has some way to go - and he certainly had the measure of Porro. His decision-making nonetheless appears to display a lack of conviction; none more so when he skinned the full back in the 19th minute and shot tamely almost straight at Vicario when a quick glance up would have indicated that Bukayo Saka was extremely well placed on the other side of the penalty area. The Brazilian needs to make a telling contribution - a goal or an assist - and then hopefully the gloves will come off. In the meantime, there is plenty of competition for the left-wing spot.

Alongside Martinelli, Havertz did a really good job; working hard, popping up wherever needed and occupying Romero and Van De Ven. And Saka, whilst never reaching the heights of which we know he is capable, was highly effective; as much in defence as attack, as he was conspicuous on a number of occasions in covering the lung-bursting forward runs of Udogie.

Of course, no NLD is likely to pass without a 'handbag' like flare-up. And so it came to pass in the 34th minute that Porro screamed in apparent pain - thereby getting Timber booked for what barely looked like even a foul - and causing one of those pathetic melees that leave you hoping that the officials don't do anything stupid. A dozen players involved, and Porro back on his feet within a couple of minutes. It really was nothing, but Vicario joined Timber in the book. And as the half wore on he was joined by 4 further Spurs players, as Arsenal's quality on the ball started to come through.

But 0-0 at half time; perfectly satisfactory. and the second half started in a similar vein to the first - Spurs creating a few half-chances, but Arsenal perhaps looking the more likely with their superior quality. As the game wore on, Spurs looked increasingly like they had shot their bolt, with Arsenal able to deal with whatever fairly powder puff efforts the likes of Son, Johnson and Kulusevski threw their way. In the number 10 position, Maddison was pretty invisible as the Arsenal press smothered him.

And then, finally, the decisive moment of the match. Porro blocked a Saka effort for a corner, and from the resulting dead ball - one of those inswingers that we know that Vicario loves so much - the ball found the back of the net. Saliba and (inevitably) White pinned two defenders in front of Vicario, who was both unwilling and unable to collect, big Gabby easily escaped the attentions of a day-dreaming Romero... and a thumping header from no more than 5 yards out almost burst the onion bag. Luvvly jubbly.

From then on, it was 'what we have; we hold'. Arsenal held Tottenham at arms' length from then on, with none of Big Ange's substitutions making any difference whatsoever. Especially bringing Timo Werner on; the guy's a total waste of space. Jesus and Raheem Sterling relieved Trossard and Martinelli  with 10 minutes left; purely cosmetic, frankly, and neither covered himself in glory - Sterling needs to learn when to pass, and Jesus needs to learn how to tackle! Late on, Bukayo Saka went down - either exhausted, or perhaps with a calf issue - and we finally saw the prodigy Nwaneri for a few minutes. Tall and strong-looking for his age, neat on the ball and with an eye for a pass - the boy has a future all right.

And so the game petered out. Spurs dominated possession, but rarely did anything decisive with it. Arsenal may be accused of being 'boring', but it was job done, and defensively they perhaps look even stronger than they did last season - in 4 matches, they have conceded just a single goal, and that was when down to 10 men and due to an individual error. All that, however, will be put to the test next Sunday, when they come up against the cheat code that is Erling Haaland (although it's worth remembering that he wasn't given a sniff in two matches last season).

As for Tottenham; they frankly look miles away. They were comfortably held off by an Arsenal side missing its entire first choice midfield; unacceptable from a supporter's point of view. Big Ange is going to get found out, and who knows if he'll last the season. He picked the wrong side for this game, and seems not to have anything other than a Plan A. That's not going to wash against the massively coached Premier League opposition he's going to come up against again and again. They're good enough to finish in the top half of the table, of course, but they don't appear to be making progress, Good-oh!

Before that, on Thursday, Arsenal commence their Champions League challenge at Atalanta (mid-table in Serie A, and with a squad that looks like it hasn't gelled yet). Arsenal will need to look out for Ademola Lookman, and will also come up against a number of players who didn't quite cut the mustard in the Premier League (including our old friend - and Mesut Ozil's minder - Saed Kolasinac). Arteta may be able to get away with a few personnel changes - depending on fitness issues - and less than 72 hours after that it's Manchester City away. Massive.

COYG!

The Referee's A ******

Lots to get through. Not just Saturday’s game and the fallout therefrom, but the closing of the Transfer Window and what it now means for squad depth. Plus the Champions League draw. It’s been a hectic few days.

But I must start with the football itself; and a match about which almost all the discussion surrounded the red card dished out to Declan Rice. Which was frankly ludicrous.

I have a friend - an ex Sunday League referee - who always sends me through the refereeing team details for each Arsenal PL game as soon as they are announced. Last week, when he sent 'Referee C Kavanagh, VAR A Madley', I responded with an immediate FFS! I've got bad memories of Mr Kavanagh in general; and that's certainly not going to change for a long time after Saturday!

Look, we've all seen the video of the incident. And we've all seen the context, and what Mr Kavanagh had let go in the first half. Saka getting clothes-lined, Veltman hauling Trossard to the ground. Tackles that left just a little too much behind on Odegaard (not sure he ever recovered), and on Saka again and again (as usual). Not a booking in sight - but I'm certainly not complaining about the yellow card Rice got (as for the supposed foul given against Rice that kicked off the sending-off incident... if anything it should have been awarded the other way!)

And Joao Pedro kicking the ball away in the first half. Not 6 inches away, but fully 30 yards downfield, in order to prevent a quick Arsenal re-start. Behaviour - exaggerated as that one may have been, for all it went unpunished - that we see in every PL game. Every. Single. One.

Kavanagh's decision to dismiss Rice for flicking the ball a few inches (don't give me that 'He'd given him no choice' nonsense - where's the consistency?) ranks alongside David Luiz's red card for having the audacity to allow his knee to be caught by a forward's ankle, and Gabriel Martinelli's two yellow cards in 5 seconds, as a deliberate singling out of an Arsenal player for egregious, cruel and unnecessary punishment. All alongside the appalling treatment meted out to Bukayo Saka every single week! Lest we also forget the violence inflicted by Veltman on Rice as he feigned to take the free kick. What Arsenal have done to deserve all this, I do not know. But since Arteta has arrived Arsenal have somehow managed to accumulate 17 red cards, with the closest PL side having received 13. WTF?

The level of uproar that the sending-off has caused in pubs, on social media and in the press/on tv has been ridiculous. As I mentioned above, entertaining anybody who says: 'He gave him no choice' is something I'm not prepared to do. Letter of the Law? The Law, as Mr Bumble quite rightly pointed out in Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, is an ass. And our good friend Mr Kavanagh merely displayed his inherent anti-Arsenal bias, inconsistency and incompetence by applying it at that moment. That action displayed a total lack of common-sense, and turned the game on its head.

Now people may argue that every supporter can compile a list of injustices supposedly meted out to his team. But I bet you Manchester City supporters can't. I cannot recall a single moment of similar controversy that can mark them down as victims of injustice. And this is a team that has the expert rotational fouler Rodri at its heart, and Tom Daley impersonator Jack Grealish on the left wing.

And the consequences don't stop at the final whistle of Arsenal vs Brighton. Rice misses the North London Derby; a tricky game at any time. And with Merino out injured Arteta's ingenuity is going to be thoroughly tested.

It is worth re-stating that the sending off completely changed the course of the game. Brighton are a decent side, but Arsenal were well on top of them at the time of the incident. The flow of the game flipped on its head immediately afterwards, and the equaliser was conceded before Arteta had time to react.

It's worth looking at this goal in more detail. Firstly, it was disappointing to see a straight 'vertical' ball pierce the Arsenal defence so easily. One can also point fingers at Gabriel; could he have been a little stronger in the challenge? Well, he was risking the award of a penalty, of course. Raya parried the ball out forward instead of sideways, but it was a point blank save and difficult to react to. However...

Thomas Partey was physically unable to keep up with the run into the box from Joao Pedro, thus leaving the attacker with a simple tap-in. He literally stopped shadowing him as the pair reached the 18-yard line. So, for all that he had a mostly decent game on Saturday, at a key moment he let the team down. He's not the player he was. On the ball, he's still got it. But off the ball he can be a liability. When I - and others - say the 'his legs have gone', this is incontrovertible proof. And we were already saying it towards the end of last season.

This has great bearing on the formation and personnel that Arteta chooses to go with in the NLD. Neither Partey nor Jorginho (who we've not seen on the pitch at all so far this season) have the legs to deal with the vibrancy of the Spurs attack. With wingers who stay ultra-wide, full backs who cut in to the inside right/left positions, and the ferret-like Maddison patrolling the spaces that defensive midfielders occupy, this presents a real challenge. What Arteta chooses to do will be critical, and the absence of Rice leaves a gigantic hole. Spurs' tactics are the very thing that could easily cause Arsenal to lose control.

But what Arteta managed to do after the Brighton goal was, in my opinion, an excellent solution. He allowed the Brighton centre-backs to have the ball, and produced tactics that blocked off pretty much everything that Brighton's more skilful players tried to do. That's some defensive powerhouse that he had out there. And with Raya claiming any crosses that weren't headed away, there was no way through. Plus Arsenal still managed to look really dangerous on the break; the positions that Havertz, Saka and substitute Martinelli took up really hurt Brighton. For all the away team's second half possession, Arsenal looked more likely to snatch a winner - and probably ought to have done.

I should mention that I found the Arsenal goal really interesting. Havertz's reaction to Saka winning possession off of Dunk was instant, as he took off for goal at pace. A beautifully timed run and pass - I and everyone around me in my block were already on our feet as we saw Havertz's movement - and Kai found himself through on the goalkeeper. And here's the thing; a year ago there's no way that Havertz scores that goal - and nor do we even expect him to. But he's a different player now, and I don't think that anybody in the crowd even entertained the possibility of him missing. Look, he'll never be prolific - and Arsenal could really do with a prolific striker - but he'll get his fair share of goals this season. Unfortunately, Haalands don't grow on trees.

Let's move on to the Transfer window, and the state of the Arsenal squad. Those players that have gone were all fringe players. Ramsdale has been usurped, and none of ESR, Nketiah, Vieira and Nelson saw much playing time at all in the second half of last season. 

It's sad to see them go, of course. We all took Ramsdale to our hearts, and we shouldn't dismiss the role he had in bringing Arsenal up towards where they are now. He's been unfortunate, and Southampton are probably below the level he deserves to be playing at. ESR looks like he will flourish at Fulham if he can stay fit; a fine player, but perhaps not quite at the level that Arteta is now looking for. Nelson has joined him on loan and will certainly get more playing time there than he did at Arsenal.

Eddie is a Gooner through and through, but it was the right decision for all parties for him to move on to Crystal Palace, who are more his level and also vastly improved. Again, I wish him well - in all but two games of the season. And it's clear that Arteta no longer regards Fabio Vieira as the answer; he'd rather give those minutes to Ethan Nwaneri. I can't say that I disagree.

As for incomings; this is more interesting. Neto is a solid second choice goalkeeper - in his 30s, happy to play second fiddle but capable when called upon; and apparently having had a lifelong desire to wear an Arsenal shirt.

Calafiori looks like a beast of a player. Arteta is spoilt for choice with him and the LANS Timber now available. Perhaps one of them can be the solution to the NLD midfield problem.

It's very unfortunate that Merino is injured. We'll just have to wait for him, but he does look like the perfect fit for the Left 8 role, and thus allowing Rice to move back to Number 6.

Up front, the arrival on loan of Raheem Sterling is, for me, the most interesting move of the entire Window. Granted, he's not the player he was, but he's played at the highest level, was England's best player in the previous international tournament, has worked with Arteta before, and like Havertz should not be judged on his recent output at the Stamford Bridge Sanitorium, He could be a vital cog in the Arsenal wheel this season, and based on what we're hearing about the deal Edu struck with Chelsea could actually be a bargain!

Nonetheless, I do wish that Arsenal had managed to purchase an out and out centre forward. Let's face it, Arteta and Edu know that we need one - after all, their very first move in the Window was to try to buy Benjamin Sesko. This is something that cannot be kicked down the road for too much longer, but for the moment Arsenal will have to rely on everybody chipping in. Despite the 91 PL goals last season, there were a number of big matches in which they failed to score. This must not be repeated if they want to go one place better.

And finally, the Champions League draw; in its new format. Very interesting, actually, and a format that should hold most teams' attention throughout. Unless a team wins its first 6 matches, it will need to be looking over its shoulder.

Arsenal's draw is not terrible. A trip to Milan (where Arsenal have history) is the most difficult tie. An Mbappe-less PSG at home is fine, and there are no long trips abroad. I wouldn't have minded Barcelona or Real Madrid at home - for the spectacle - and am delighted to have avoided bl**dy Bayern Munich! City have their usual easy passage, but Liverpool are going to have their work cut out, and Villa are likely to struggle. 

But it's two more matches; that could be a problem. And immediately throws up a difficult week on the players' return from the Interlull. As if Spurs away followed by City away wasn't difficult enough, they have to go to Atalanta in Italy in between. Grrrr...

Anyway, we move on. Spurs away at the end of the first of these pointless, annoying international breaks. COYG!

Emery Bogey Laid To Rest - A More Than Decent Start

Right then. A decent enough start to the season. Two wins out of two. No goals conceded. Long periods of domination in both matches. And - in my opinion - a lot more to come. But, at the same time, I do have some concerns.

I’ll address those a little further down. But first a quick general summary of what we’ve seen so far from the team.

Evolution; not Revolution

 

Arteta has taken the team close in the last two seasons, and clearly sees the defined style of play that he has developed as the best way towards achieving his aims (and our desires). So it’ll be more of the same, as he looks to add a few extra ingredients to the mix. Timber back - tick. Calafiori - tick. Merino (eventually) - tick. And I suspect that the line-up we’re seeing now is not much like what we’ll be seeing come March/April.

Arsenal Are Still Undercooked

Of course, it wouldn’t make sense to have the team firing on all cylinders from Match Day One. Nor would it have been physically possible, frankly. And whilst some players look readier than others, there’s clearly room for improvement in several key parts of the side. Gabriel, Partey, Rice and Martinelli to name 4…

The Fixture Calendar…

… has been a total clusterf*ck as far as Arsenal are concerned. But, should they negotiate these first few matches relatively unscathed, it doesn’t half make the latter stages of the season look much easier to cope with. Wolves at home; a decent enough start. But to then have to go to three of the most difficult away grounds before the end of September is, quite simply put, an evil piece of programming. With 100% Brighton next to chuck into the mix. The Emery bogey was laid to rest on Saturday. But the next two away games are at The New Toilet Bowl and The Emptihad. I need say no more… except… imagine starting with 15 points out of 15?!? (I’d be happy with 11, by the way).

Moving on to quickly cover the first two games (circumstances, including illness, prevented me from blogging last week), I think that we’ve seen some themes and patterns come to the fore:

1. Firstly, Arsenal don’t concede too many chances to their opposition, but, when they do concede chances, they tend to be really big ones. Cases in point; Strand Larsen’s header for Wolves, and Watkins’ first on Saturday. 

Three things to say about that. One; I’m sure that as players get fitter and more familiar with each other, Arteta will hope to see those Big Chance moments tail off. Two; when the make-up of the midfield changes with the introduction of Merino, there’ll be even less propensity for risk in any case - as I expect to see Declan Rice revert to Number 6. And Three; David Raya has shown himself to be quite the shot-stopper!

2. Secondly, it must be of concern to Arteta - and is clear as day to us supporters - that the right hand side of our attack is far more effective than the left. The Saka/Odegaard/White triumvirate can hardly be bettered worldwide, but the left is relatively dysfunctional. Martinelli looks a long way from the confidence and form of which we know he is capable. Trossard doesn’t necessarily offer the completeness of a left-winger that Arteta is striving for (for all the fact that his goal scoring statistics are remarkable!). And the Left 8 role is still up in the air - it remains to be seen how Merino fits in. Interestingly, the Manager is spoilt for choice at left back - Timber looks to be capable of playing it Zinchenko-style even better than the Ukrainian can, and what we saw of Califiori’s passing range and athleticism in even a very short period of time was unbelievably exciting! The left appears to be the main area for growth/change over the next few months.

3. Thirdly and finally, there’s the matter of squad depth. And, with only a few days of the Window to go, there’s actually quite a lot to sort out in order to ensure that he has enough ammunition for the season. Let’s take a closer look:

Goalkeeper: Aaron Ramsdale needs to go and play somewhere (as does Karl Hein, actually). Arsenal need to facilitate that, and also to ensure that a suitable replacement is found. Not long for those ducks to be lined up.

Defence: Almost certainly more than enough depth here. In fact, it would make sense for Jakob Kivior, whose minutes look likely to be severely curtailed, to at the very minimum go out on loan for the season.

Midfield: Merino will surely be a sufficient addition (although how Odegaard gets a rest isn’t easy to work out). The addition of Merino should see Rice go back to what he himself regards as his best position; with both Partey and Jorginho ready to step in when necessary. This also means, in my opinion, that the Havertz At Left 8 experiment is over. ESR is gone now, and Vieira looks to be finally being put out of his misery, so that leaves a path for Ethan Nwaneri to pick up maybe around 300 First Team minutes over the season. This all makes for a deal of clarity, in my opinion.

Attack: Hmmm… far more difficult. And there are two strands to this. Firstly, what to do about the left wing situation, and at the same time how to ensure that Bukayo Saka isn’t over-burdened. With Nelson likely to depart this week, Gabriel Jesus’s latest injury (albeit apparently not serious) brings this into focus. Because if one compares the possibility of using the Brazilian to fill the gaps as necessary with what Pep has put together at Manchester City (Doku, Grealish, Bernardo Silva and now Savinho are their winger options), Arsenal are deficient here. 

But not as deficient as they can look at centre forward. Admittedly, Erling Haaland is imperious (and City are definitely short of alternatives for him with the departure of Alvarez), but Arsenal look well short in comparison. Havertz and Jesus may be able to do a job, but they are simply no comparison to the Norwegian. And with Eddie looking on his way too, for me Arteta simply must pull a rabbit out of the hat here. I don’t think that Ohsimen looks like an Arsenal player - plus he’ll be crazily expensive - but I do like the look of Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting Lisbon. 

Whatever happens over these next few days, for me a centre forward alternative is absolutely critical!

I can’t end without mentioning a few things that we saw on Saturday. First, Trossard’s quite pointed ‘non-celebration’ following his goal. Arteta will have taken note, and I suspect that for the Belgian’s state of mind he must start on Saturday (against his old club).

Second, the Arsenal supporters’ relentless trolling of Emi Martinez following his error that led to the second goal. If you dish it out, mate, you have to be prepared to take it.

And on a similar note the reminder that Ben White remains the absolute King of the Sh*thousers. The instant retribution meted out to McGinn was magnificent work!

So we move on. The fun and games of the end of the transfer window. Then Brighton at home - not easy - followed by the first of several pointless, annoying Interlulls. And then the double whammy that is Spurs away, followed by City away. It’s going to be a very interesting month.

COYG!

Season Preview - Hopes and Dreams

Right then; here we go! A new season commences, and anything could happen. And I thought that I'd lay out my hopes and dreams, my expectations and my concerns, and would see how they resonate with yours. Let's get right into it. But warning - long read...

Title aspirations

Last season, Arsenal fell just short of toppling Team 115 from their perch, despite taking 49 points out of 54 from their PL matches in 2024. 89 points wasn't enough, and it was almost certainly the relatively slow start to the season that cost Arsenal the title (remember, Liverpool once got to 97 points and it wasn't enough!).

As far as trajectory is concerned, it's been 8th to 5th to 2nd, and then 2nd again in the past 4 seasons - with every season end tinged with regret of some kind or the other. But it's clear that Arsenal are getting closer and closer. It's in the area of marginal gains where Mikel Arteta knows he needs to squeeze a bit more out of his squad, and for sure he's working on it.

I see the strengths and weaknesses as follows:

Goalkeeper and Defence

Little to criticise. The best defence in the country, without question; and Arteta has addressed the perceived (or actual) weakness posed when oppositions pick on Zinchenko by adding Riccardo Califiori to the ranks. Plus Jurrien Timber looks ready to go as well - indeed, I'm not quite sure how to get 6 into 4 right now; although there will be plenty of opportunities for rotation as the season progresses - it's highly unlikely that Saliba and Gabriel will be able to keep their exemplary fitness records for another full season. 

Honestly, there are no worries here. In William Saliba, Arsenal have the stand-out centre half in the entire league. And his partnership with Gabriel is equally the number one partnership. Add Ben White, and with a choice of first class left backs, just relax...

Midfield 

Again, Arteta appears spoilt for choice; and may be even more so if he gets Merino. 

Declan Rice is a machine, and whilst he did start looking a little tired towards the end of the recent Euros, the break will have done him sufficient good. Alternatives to him at the 6 spot are Jorginho (excellent passer; not too mobile these days but very capable) and Thomas Partey (gives Arsenal something different with his ability to quickly beat a man and create vertical passing spaces, but not reliably fit and his legs are perhaps starting to betray him). Between the three of them, Arsenal are well served in that position, but this is an area that will need reinforcing next summer.

Further forward, the 'right 8' role belongs firmly to Martin Odegaard; a player who must surely be the envy of literally every single club side in the world. £30m from Real Madrid has turned out to be an absolute bargain! Left 8 is rather more complicated, and it's worth pointing out at this stage that Arsenal's right hand side has been considerably more effective as an attacking force than the left for probably two seasons now. If Arteta can find a way to make the opposition worry more about what's going on down Arsenal's left, then what an attacking outfit they will have become!

But the waters are muddy. Should he put Rice there; with Partey or Jorginho behind. Havertz? Trossard? Vieira (sadly, he doesn't have the option of ESR any more)? Nwaneri, even, at the right time? Who would work best, and how will that upset the equilibrium on the left wing, and up top? I'm glad that it's not my problem!

Forward line 

Just the one place out of three is set in stone here; Saka on the right. After that, it does appear that Kai Havertz is the centre forward of choice, with Gabriel Jesus a decent alternative. On the left wing, there's Martinelli or Trossard. Or even Jesus (could play all across the front). But...

And here's what bother me the most; yes, Arsenal scored 91 league goals last season. And the goals were spread all across the team, with contributions from almost everywhere. Saka top with 16 (including penalties). Then Havertz 13, Trossard 12, Odegaard 8. Which is all great news, but for me there are two issues:

Firstly, Arsenal are missing the key ingredient of a top centre forward. Last season three players - Haaland, Palmer and Isak - notched 20+ goals. Saka was number 9 on the list for the season. Arteta and Edu are well aware of this; look at the very first move they attempted to make this summer - trying to sign Benjamin Sesko. For me the addition of a goal scorer is the missing ingredient in this Arsenal squad. Yes, 91 League goals - but look at the games when Arsenal failed to score to see where those extra margins can be made up. City away. Newcastle away. Both matches against Aston Villa. And inexplicably at home to West Ham. Not forgetting the 1-0 defeat in Munich. 

Margins... the odd extra goal here and there in those games would have been huge. It's OK to knock 5s and 6s past inferior teams, and they'll do that again this season, but that's not actually enough.

Which brings me on to point two: expected goals. Because Arsenal don't have a clinical finisher in the squad, they need to create more - and better - chances than other sides to allow for the 'big chances' that are squandered. Matches are consistently dominated, but quite often that isn't reflected in the scoreline. There are any number of examples from last season, but Brighton at home stands out for me. It could/should have been 6-0. 

But I'm not asking for two and three goal wins to become 5 or 6 goal wins (enjoyable as that would be). I want to see them score in every match! Even against the most difficult of opposition. A single goal at Villa Park, St James' Park, or even The Etihad (remember that Trossard chance in the second half?) would have made all the difference to the entire season! 

For me, if Arteta is going to make just a single extra signing in the next fortnight, then please let it be a centre forward! Although I guess that there will need to be further departures first.

The Squad

So... what does the current squad need by way of additions? And who needs to go? Let's do this!

Goalkeepers - Aaron Ramsdale; let's be fair to the bloke - he needs to go and play somewhere. A sale would be the best move for all parties. He'd do a fine job pretty much anywhere. And Karl Hein needs playing time. What that will mean, of course, is that Arsenal need to sign a replacement; somebody who would be happy enough to under study David Raya. Bentley from Wolves would be no bad idea; he did a decent job standing in for Jose Sa last season. Alternatively, our old pal Wojciech Szczesny is currently a free agent...

Defence - and here Arsenal have not only quality but quantity. It wouldn't surprise me to see Jakob Kivior depart, and there looks to be space to advance young Ayden Heaven into the group too, alongside Miles Lewis-Skelly. Both very much for the future, but closest to breaking through

Midfield - and continuing that theme, there Ethan Nwaneri. the departure of ESR gives him a chance for more first team minutes, and he certainly looks up to taking them with both hands. There are shades of Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas in watching him, and I'm excited to see how he gets on. Elsewhere, even if Arteta would have been happy to shift Partey out, there haven't as yet been any takers. He's got a year left on his contract, so let's make use of him whilst he's fit. Plus the likely addition of Mikel Merino creates further opportunities to dominate opponents.

Forwards - Arteta is trying to shift both Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson out. They don't have the quality for this Arsenal squad. Thanks, and good luck. But as I said before they surely need to draft in another body. Havertz's qualities are clear, but he's not a reliable finisher. Jesus similar, but with the added trait of being so unpredictable that he can sometimes upset the pattern of play. On the left wing, Arteta has a real conundrum choosing between Martinelli and Trossard - sure, they'll both get playing time, but who's the 'starter' and who's the 'finisher'?

On the whole, the squad is almost complete. The bulk of them are aged 22-26. It bodes well for a period of great excitement and optimism for us fans. I've got nothing more to add on this.

And now for the 'elephant in the room' - Team 115. And it's all about to come to a head over the next few months. There's no point attempting to make sense of anything at this stage, but it's worth bearing the following in mind:

1. The charges cover the period 2009-18 only

2. They have already had a legal fight with UEFA over their FFP rules

3. They alleged to have consistently broken the Premier League's old PSR rules

4. Almost a third of the charges relate to them 'failing to co-operate with Premier League investigations'

5. Whilst remaining favourites to win the Premier League yet again, they are also just 10/1 in places to be relegated. Remarkable...

I mean... WOW! 

So what would/could the penalties for this be if found guilty of even half of these charges? Well, bearing in mind what happened to Everton and Nottingham Forest last season, it's got to be a massive points deduction - enough to make relegation a certainty. I hear that their players have relegation clauses in their contracts; why on earth would the club bother to put them in in the first place?

What this could mean for Arsenal does not need to be spelled out. Arsenal are generally acknowledged as Manchester City's closest challengers, and with Liverpool expected to be in a post-Klopp lull are ideally placed to take advantage. Case to be held in the next couple of months - results early in the New Year. Juicy stuff...

And so to predictions:

1.    Arsenal to finally win the Premier League following a 21-year gap

2,    Champions League - quarter final at the minimum

3.    FA Cup/Carabao Cup - why not? One of those to come Arsenal's way

4.    Top scorer - Bukayo Saka

5.    Player of the Season - Martin Odegaard

6.    Breakout player - Riccardo Califiori

7.    Best young player - Ethan Nwaneri

8.    Most disappointing player - Fabio Vieira

As to the rest of the league:

Other Champions League qualifiers: Manchester City (if the points deduction doesn't fit the crime), Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester United, Newcastle (for me, Villa are going to suffer in their Champions League year)

Most disappointing team - surely the nut-job that is Chelsea FC? First managerial sacking: Enzo Maresca

Relegation: Southampton, Leicester, Ipswich. Sorry, guys. Unless a team like Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford or Forest have a shocker, they're really going to struggle. As it is every year.

Anyway, that's me done for the moment. See you at the Emirates tomorrow. COYG!

Arsenal Make Heavy Weather Of It in Manchester

Old Trafford was bathed in sunshine for the visit of Arsenal. 'Arsenal Weather', as my dearly-missed father used to describe it; although to be fair he described all weather as Arsenal Weather... and Arsenal were rocking up for what on paper looked like a pretty simple task. United's Monday night thrashing at the hands of Crystal Palace suggested that they were in disarray, and the continued absence of Old Weasel Face Bruno Fernandes, and of a single centre-back who was more than half-fit, all added up to what we hoped would be a relaxing afternoon.

Sure, with a win an absolute necessity, there was pressure. And that place doesn't hold too many fond memories; I recall two absolute thrashings (8-2 and 6-1), and that appallingly refereed game that stopped The Invincibles unbeaten run in its tracks. Although there were also 1998 and 2002, of course...  but that's history, and Arsenal had big fish to fry in May 2024.

Another unchanged squad from Arteta, whilst United had McTominay back, but again selected Casemiro at centre-half. To his and their cost, as we know... and for the first few minutes Arsenal were camped in United's left back corner of the pitch and looked likely to utterly dominate proceedings.

United finally got out of that corner, and as Arsenal retrieved the ball following the home side's first foray at goal Thomas Partey turned into trouble. And for me - and this was in just the 5th minute - this seemed to change the way the game played out. It was clear that, for a change, Ten Hag had actually thought about tactics. A different set up, block and press and - until Arsenal scored - a reasonable amount of discipline that stopped Arsenal from doing their best work by cutting off many of their favourite passing channels. 

Odegaard and - particularly - Rice were stifled. There was space wide out but it wasn't really exploited. Partey looked leggy in the face of pacy counter attacks. On the whole, not a brilliant performance. But there were two keys. Firstly, Arsenal got their goal; as early as the 20th minute. And secondly for all their huffing and puffing United rarely looked particularly dangerous - Hojlund had an early chance, and Garnacho very much flattered to deceive. Gary Neville, the most biased of pundits, correctly pointed out that he often doesn't know what he's trying to do, so how can his team-mates? 

Yes, it was tense. But it was only tense because the lead was a single goal, and just one slip could have been fatal. It did feel that the only way United would score would be down to an individual Arsenal error, because they created very little. The Arsenal centre-halves almost always looked comfortable.

And so to the crucial goal. And you've of course all seen what happened. Intelligent play from all the Arsenal 'pressers' forced Onana, for once, to go longer than he wanted, as passing channels were blocked off. Casemiro never recovered from having to drop very deep from the previous phase of play, and never got out in time. White's clip over the top found Havertz, who had taken up a position that under almost any other circumstances would have been well offside. He then drove into the penalty area, where Casemiro made a second mistake by not covering the near post, Wan-Bissaka failed to see Trossard's clever dart inside, and Trossard did what Trossard does. This was intelligent off-the-cuff play from Arsenal, taking advantage of a scenario that could hardly have been envisaged. And it proved crucial to where the points ended up.

At the other end, my main concern was the amount of possession that United were afforded. But looking back I personally believe that we fans were probably more concerned about that than the Arsenal players were. They let United have the ball, knowing that they really didn't have the wherewithal to do anything constructive with it. Just the odd flash of danger, mostly centred around Garnacho, but Raya was rarely tested and Saliba made one awesome tackle at one point, as you'll recall.

I must admit to pacing around my lounge as injury time started. But in truth United had very little to offer, did they? Perhaps after their previous result the almost felt relieved to escape with a 0-1 defeat, and not get the thrashing that Arsenal could have given them?

The match, of course, ended in 'heavy weather' as a massive storm hit Manchester. Ten Hag's ludicrous linen suit was surely ruined,as biblical rain hit Old Trafford. All of which would have been of great interest to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who could see at first hand how much disrepair the ground has fallen into. I'm aware that Emirates Stadium has had its own roof issues over the past few years, but this was something else. Water pouring off the roof and forming streams in the lower tier, and by all accounts a number of leaks sprung up in the away dressing room. What with the state of the playing squad, the ground and the training facilities, there's a massive job required to start to return United to former glories. If there's any proof as to the damage the Glazer family has done to that club, those images of veritable waterfalls summed it all up.

Still, that's hardly out problem, is it? Our main problem is mathematical. Manchester City can guarantee the title with two more victories. Away to Tottenham this evening (as I type, we're hours away from that), and then a simple home game against West Ham United.

And it's all a bit complicated; psychologically at least. City have failed to register a single goal at Spurs' new ground in 4 PL attempts (admittedly against Mourinho and Conte sides; this Tottenham side will be set up completely differently). But there must surely be something in that for Guardiola and his players to overcome? On the other hand, they are a much better side than Tottenham, so they can probably only beat themselves. Still, the longer the game goes on without a City goal, the tenser they'll become.

From Tottenham's point of view, Villa's result on Monday means that they need two wins in order to have any chance of qualifying for the Champions League, so they have to try to win the game. Villa have a very tricky final game, and the gap is 5 points. The fans may hate the thought of it, though. Spurs beating, or even getting a draw, would probably hand the title to Arsenal. I honestly don't believe that this will have much effect on the players, and the supporters should, frankly, grow up and worry about their team's progress above and beyond anything else.

As for West Ham; if it comes down to Sunday we can forget it. They are as 'on the beach' as any PL club can be. Everton, our last day opponents, will be trickier opposition - they have 5 successive clean sheets behind them. But if Arsenal need to beat them to win the title, I'm sure they will. 

Meantime, let's hope for a miracle. So it's COYG, and (one time only) COYS!

We Got Him Half Price!

Not without some hint of jeopardy - something that the final 3-0 scoreline wouldn’t necessarily suggest - Arsenal took the required three points at home to Bournemouth on Saturday lunchtime. Thankfully, there weren’t quite the theatrics of Reiss Nelson’s 97th-minute winner the previous season, but there were plenty of moments of concern along the way - and not a small amount of ‘the rub of the green’ going Arsenal’s way. Still, as I’ve said before and I’m sure we’ll all agree, the three points is all that matters.

So, to nobody’s surprise, Arteta selected an unchanged starting XI (and bench) to the one he put out in the NLD. A week between matches certainly helps - I’m not sure that the current squad could have coped with a midweek CL semi final with Real Madrid sandwiched around this game, and I’m also sure that it would have helped Arsenal’s cause had Manchester City beaten them and found themselves embroiled in a two-legged semi-final instead. Both sides exiting at the same stage - well, I suppose that keeps it a level playing field (on the field, at least)…

Arsenal absolutely dominated the first half. 16 shots to one. Most saved; or blocked. But, as the half wore on, more and more nerves became evident in the crowd. It felt like only a matter of time before Arsenal took the lead, but the longer the deadlock continued, the more the feeling of jeopardy grew. Certainly in block 17, anyway.

The second most controversial moment of the first half took place as early as the 11th minute. Ryan Christie went in hard and high, studs up and with outstretched boot, on Bukayo Saka. See below for images. Result - barely looked at by the referee or VAR, and not even a yellow card. So if Bournemouth have any complaints about later decisions, perhaps they should consider that they ought to have played 80+ minutes with 10 men... a horrendous assault.

When Arsenal finally took the lead close to half time, there was more than a hint of controversy about that too. Havertz, bursting into the penalty area to meet Odegaard’s incisive (aren't they always?) through ball, appeared to be brought down by Travers in the Bournemouth goal. Penalty? Yes, but… and for those who read this blog regularly you’ll know how I feel about ‘initiating contact’. He'd unquestionably dragged his left leg in the keeper’s path in order to initiate contact with him. 

This is what I wrote subsequently on one of the WhatsApp groups I’m in (a group over-populated with Spurs fans, by the way):

“I’ve now watched it back and seen all the angles. Yes, he left his leg there purely to initiate contact. But the way the Law is written he’s allowed to do that. Kulu and Trossard last week was a different scenario - an accidental coming together. Contact was made; but by neither player’s design. 

The problem is the Law. The Law is an ass. That’s why I NEVER give penalties when I’m refereeing and a forward initiates contact - even though I probably should according to the letter of the Law. Because I HATE that Law! It ought to be changed. But as the Law is written it’s a penalty.”

So yes; it was a correctly awarded penalty. Because that’s what the Law says. But it’s not at all fair on the goalkeeper. And the Law needs to change; as much as the handball Law still needs to, by the way (remember the penalty conceded by Saliba at Stamford Bridge? Ludicrous).

Anyway, at this stage of the season, we were obviously going to take it. And, whilst it wasn’t his best penalty ever, Saka buried the kick; much to everyone’s relief.

Bournemouth came out with renewed intent in the second half, preventing Arsenal from exercising the control that the score line required . And whilst they hardly created a chance they certainly kept Arsenal on their toes, with the game resembling a basketball game at times. More jeopardy; and they’re a decent side in good form. 

It wasn’t until Arsenal’s second goal that the crowd could start to relax. Yet another opportunity expertly taken by Trossard; but really the product of the anticipation, strength, vision and athleticism of Declan Rice. The guy’s an absolute powerhouse - more of which later when I discuss the third Arsenal goal.

There was, of course, a further moment of controversy when Bournemouth had a goal chalked off. A bit of pinball in the Arsenal box, including one shot that rattled the crossbar, saw two concurrent fouls take place. One saw Saliba drag Billing down; at exactly the same time as Solanke eased Raya off the ball. What an American Football referee would describe as ‘offsetting fouls’, I guess. But in ‘soccer’ the goalkeeper is a protected species - a perceived foul on the keeper is more harshly judged than one on an outfield player. Rightly or wrongly, anyway… and so Coote blew his whistle, the goal was disallowed, and there was no way that the VAR was going to over-rule that. Another stroke of luck for The Arsenal, I should say, as there wasn't much in the challenge. Although he did prevent Raya from getting a punch on the ball, with his hand on his back (and perhaps even under his armpit); and that's why it's a foul.

From then on the match was as good as over with (although I did get into trouble from some around me when I proclaimed that it was 'done and dusted' in the 81st minute). We nonetheless still had time for a couple of treats. Firstly, Gabriel's sweetly hit cross-shot volley found the back of the net, only for it to be ruled out for a marginal offside on Kai Havertz. A great pity, as it was a thing of beauty. 

And very late into stoppage time came the final full stop on the game as Rice made it three. But that doesn't tell the story, by any means. Arsenal retrieved a loose ball deep in their own half; and at that point Rice was around 25 yards from his own goal. As the play progressed down the right - the ball making its way up to Jesus in the right 8 position - Rice speeded up from a gentle trot to a sprint, flashed into the penalty area, signalled to Jesus where he wanted the ball played, rounded his defender, and then hammered a cross shot underneath the goalkeeper. In the 97th minute, and with the result already long settled! Remarkable.

Which sums the man up. He's on the go from start to finish, playing with the same intensity from minute 1 to minute 100. He reads the play, tackling and intercepting. He carries the ball forward in 10 to 20 yard bursts. He has a vast array of passing skills. He is one of the rocks upon which this incredible Arsenal team is built. If anything can be called a bargain at £105million, it's him. As the crowd sang lustily: 'Declan Rice - we got him half price!'

Of course, Rice can only have the freedom to be as attacking a midfielder as he can be in this role depending on what's behind him - even though I'd probably say that the number 6 role is his best position, and he's still learning how to play as an 8. He gets the cover he needs from Jorginho, but he gets it in Spades from Partey (who I discussed in my last piece).

And at this point it's perhaps worth diving into the decisions that are going to have to be made regarding Arsenal's midfield next season. Because for all that Partey adds something Jorginho does not have - that willingness and ability to drop a shoulder, turn out of trouble and beat the press, and then find Havertz or Odegaard - there is a similar element of 'risk and reward' as there is when Zinchenko plays. With Partey, we saw that very early on in the NLD, when he was robbed from behind after just a few minutes, but  that time Arsenal escaped with no damage done. 

Does Arteta want to go down the 'control' route, or go for something more daring; more maverick? Plus, of course, the big question is whether he can rely on Partey's fitness - on all known evidence, he cannot. Big decisions there. But, back to Rice; he can be as good a player as Patrick Vieira or Steven Gerrard going forward, and we should be delighted that Arsenal pushed the boat out to £105million. One only has to reflect on David Moyes' words about the reason why West Ham have taken a few hammerings (unintended pun) this season. No Declan Rice leaves a big, big hole.  Rice can be a focal point of this young side for many years to come.

And so, with City also winning - against a Wolves side who looked like they were already on holiday - the percentages are less and less in Arsenal's favour. They've got Fulham away, Spurs away, and finally West Ham at home. The latter two sides lost 4-2 and 5-0 at the weekend. They're also the only two teams that Fulham have beaten in the past two months. We're counting on a miracle now, to be realistic. Nonetheless, if Arsenal manage 49 points out of 54 in 2024 and still fall short, you just have to hold up your hands. I said two months ago that there was no margin for error; and I've unfortunately been proved right. So far... and goal difference is highly unlikely to go against Arsenal at this stage.

I'd expect Arsenal to do the business themselves in their final two games. For all that Spurs have some sort of 'Indian sign' over City - no goals scored by the latter at The New Toilet Bowl in 4 PL visits - form tells us something else. Spurs have now lost 4 successive matches, and seem powerless to stop the rot. Arsenal, on the other hand, might under normal circumstances treat an impending visit to OT with trepidation. But United are in complete disarray. They've got a load of injuries, and a single half-fit centre-half available (Casemiro is a disaster in that role). They look badly coached, and bereft of any structure or confidence. Without the injured Bruno Fernandes, they have literally nothing to offer going forward; as well as being unable to defend. They're an abolute Sh*tsho*w..Arsenal are assuredly going to tear them apart, and put another nail in the Ten Haag coffin, on Sunday afternoon.

But we'll stick to the 'one step at a time' scenario. Come On You Gunners, and Come on Fulham; you owe us a favour. Where there's life, there's hope...