Morning all.
This group of Arsenal players seldom seem to surprise. Tired bodies after 120 minutes of football just a couple of days ago, then penalties and the sucker punch. Defeat. My fear was a lethargic performance yesterday, a struggle to get going and even points dropped. My fear was misplaced. Perhaps it was just self preservation all along.
I gave him a big hug when he came into the changing room because he deserves it. He was magnificent. We need that, you know, when he’s coming in to stay at the level that we’ve been playing. He was unbelievable today, so credit to him.
I first spotted the headline about Bukayo Saka giving one of his teammates a hug, I immediately thought the hug had been for Gabriel Martinelli, but no, it was for Rob Holding after his performance yesterday. To be fair to him, he didn’t really put a foot wrong against Sporting CP either.
Brilliant partnership… (photo Caught Offside)
Admittedly, I’ve only seen highlights but Bukayo Saka had a pretty good day too. Two goals, one assist – what a player this young man is. Gabriel Martinelli getting on the score-sheet was the perfect way to get over any bad feelings he might have had about ‘that’ penalty. a fine strike it was too. If Granit Xhaka keeps scoring goals, he’ll find himself playing centre-forward before too long. I jest of course but seriously, he’s having a really good season.
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta are having a really good season.
When your luck is in, it’s in but when it’s out, it’s really out. Just a few weeks ago, Jorginho saw his shot rattle the crossbar, hit the the back of Martinez head and go in. Zaha however, hit the post, the ball hit Aaron Ramsdale and went out of play. ‘Them’s the breaks’ I once heard a politician say.
On another day with another set of officials, Rob Holding might have seen his name go in the book for the challenge he made in the build up. By the end, having made his first start in the Premier League since the final day of last season, Holding had completed more passes than any other player on the pitch in the first half and won most duels (eight).
I’m sure we’d all love to be driving the best motorcar on the road with all its fancy technology but sometimes it breaks and that’s when the second car, perhaps the old Ford Fiesta or something similar is needed and it doesn’t often let you down.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Ten fixtures to go, eight points ahead of Man City in second place, 19 points ahead of Man Utd in third place and 20 points ahead of Totts in fourth spot – yep, even I’m starting to believe we’ll be back playing Champions League football next season.
Now of course we have a two week domestic break because of international football. Whoever thought I was a good idea to hold international fixtures at this stage of the season is bonkers.
Thanks to The Daily Cannon, here’s a list of Arsenal players who’ll be representing their respective countries over the eight days:
Senior Players:
- Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka (England)
- Matt Turner and Auston Trusty (USA)
- Karl Hein (Estonia), Kieran Tierney (Scotland)
- Jakub Kiwior (Poland),
- Oleksandr Zinchenko (Ukraine),
- Thomas Partey (Ghana),
- Martin Odegaard (Norway),
- Jorginho (Italy),
- Granit Xhaka (Switzerland),
- Leandro Trossard (Belgium)
- Alex Runarsson (Iceland).
Under 21 players:
- Folarin Balogun and Emile Smith Rowe (England)
- Nuno Tavares and Fabio Vieira (Portugal)
- Mika Biereth (Denmark)
Six of the above players are currently out on loan but even so, Arsenal still have 12 first team players playing another two matches within 7/8 days. Hopefully though, they’ll all come back unscathed and by the time Leeds Utd head to The Emirates Stadium on the first day of April, Eddie Nketiah, William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu are close to returning. With six fixtures next month, we’ll need them. Man City have nine games to play during that period, one of which is against Arsenal, three days after their trip to Brighton and five days after we’d have played Southampton at The Emirates….
If international football is your thing, enjoy it. If not, enjoy the break..
Catch up in the comments.
Interesting run in we have. We will have to play Liverpool, Newcastle and Man City away. Avoid defeat in those games and we are almost there.
We should be beating Leeds and S’hamton and the like. It’s those three games above that will be the decider IMO.
I’d like to think we can win all our home games and as you say TT, getting something from those three fixtures would be brilliant. Liverpool and Newcastle are beatable but I think City will be too strong.
Morning Rico, nice piece AGAIN thanks.
Considering Holding was playing against Zaha , one of the trickiest players in the league I think he was great. And a great tactic from Arteta to have Ben white charging down the wing where Zaha doesn’t like to defend. The way we play, we do leave our central defenders very exposed sometimes so I think Rob Holding deserves a bit of slack. I bet there aren’t many teams in the league who have a back up as good as him.
Morning Rico and all.
The match was well worth staying up for (3am) and as I said yesterday it was good team performance, even when being subbed the players didn’t complain they just took it on the chin and no carrying on which was great to see.
If I was to be very critical / harsh, unless Arteta has instructed the players to except a 2 goal lead as job done, we seem to lack that killer instinct to really put a game to bed by scoring 5 or 6 goals,
I am happy with our run home although I have penciled in Man City for a small 2-1 loss, the match that worries me a bit will be Man U as they always lift against us, and as for Liverpool well, that depends on which Liverpool side turns up.
Morning Mike and thanks.
Agree, regardless of Palace’s struggles, Zaha has been a pain in the butt for us as has the team in general in recent years. Holding seems to have learned from his Son incident last season although his first challenge was scary.
White and Saka are working well together, the only person who doesn’t see it though is Southgate.
Mike I agree with you I recon Holding had good game overall, and any player who plays on Zaha has to be think smart, yes, Zaha is a good player, but he is also he own worst enemy, even in yesterday match every time he got tackled he goes to ground too easy and then he complains when no free kick given to him and when one is given, he still had a smart remark to say to the ref,
Morning Geoff, we scored four, how many do you want? Players don’t not take their chances on purpose. Plus, we were playing a team which has hardly ever lost a game by just one goal.
Geoff, I think you meant to say Newcastle United we’ve already played ManU twice.
Yeah Goeff , when I said Zaha was tricky, it was a polite way of saying diving , cheating, moaning piece of work.
It would be lovely to score loads of goals all the time……. To be fair four is pretty good, but we still must learn to keep a lead and not take silly chances with passes that can put us in trouble. Last Thursday evening for example.
Rico I that’s why I said I am being very harsh but this game we could have scored more but how many matches through out this season we have not put teams away and allowed them to come back
I think White has burned his Southgate bridges with whatever caused his early return from Qatar . Still that’s our gain and England’s loss.
As I said yesterday I think City’s run in will cause them to lose more points , their April agenda will tax even them and two matches against Bayern may well be a bridge too far
8th Southampton away , 11th Bayern Home , 16th Leicester home , 19th Bayern away , 22nd Sheffield United Wembley and 26th Arsenal at home.
We should know at this stage
Keep the faith.
Cicero you’re correct I meant Newcastle but I was watching an old Arsenal v Man U on YouTube at the same time
Just watch Tottenham manager boy did he let loose at the players, going to be an interesting week in training for Toots players.
Same applies throughout the season though Geoff, I think if they could, they would score more.
Me too re Southgate and White, England’s loss though.
Southgate seems to be fixated on his right back “Flasher Walker”.
I was a bit of a doubter at first, I didn’t know if the players had it in them. But you know what , every time something is thrown at them, they get over it. Who would have thought that after losing Jesus we would have carried on so well.
I just love to see the commitment now. That’s why I’m so unimpressed with Vieira… moaning nobody got on the end of his stupid backheel on Thursday. He’s the only one I’ve seen moan at his own players the whole season.
So yes Potter I am keeping the faith !
Hi Rico
Another great performance. Blew Palace away. A team we have really struggled to cope with at home in recent seasons.
Quite surprised at some of the negativity. If you’re not satisfied with 4 goals I suggest you watch some of the post ’92 George Graham Arsenal games. We rarely got more than one goal.
Maybe Southgate should take the Palace job? Then we’ll really see his level.
Hi Pete, agree re Southgate. His selections baffle me, Calvin Phillips and Maguire, nonsensical.
I’m not a great lover of Southgate but I do think the England job is a poison chalice.
If anybody has read Ray Parlours book , they will know the story of Ray having a joke with Southgate when he took over the managers job at Middlesborough. Southgate didn’t like it and never picked Ray again.
Maybe Ben White has done the same ?
Smacks of a self important arrogance then Mike . Southgate was an average player and we have seen how great ones have failed at management .Unlike our Mikel he doesn’t have the drive or personality to lead people to extend themselves .
Bit like Conte really although there is a common denominator with their mutual captain.
I thought I was the only one who thought Southgate was a quite average defender,
Pete if you’re talking about my comment at 11:09 I never said I wasn’t happy with 4-1 win, as I said it was a great team performance, all I said was being very critical / harsh we don’t seem to have that killer instinct to really finish of teams.
I have to say that I know where you are coming from Geoff >We do tend to dominate in many ways , get in front and then ease up . A draw and two defeats could leave us just short with Liverpool , City and Newcastle coming up.
roomers Tottenham have sacked Conte.
There has to be a balance between chasing goals and saving energy when a game is as good as won. After Sunday’s 4 – 1 win our goal difference is 40 as opposed to City’s 42 but they have a game in hand. Newcastle are the next highest on 20 with two games in hand. Should the the final positions come down to goal difference we may regret that easing off, but the likelihood is that points will be decisive and getting as high a total as possible will rely heavily on players fitness, so managing games to reduce fatigue is more important than getting an extra goal or two.
Conte gave players and staff two days off after their weekend game and took a Ryan air flight to his home in Turin to spend time with his family prior to the international break. Apparently it’s something he frequently does.
All of which doesn’t preclude him getting sacked in the coming days.
Following on from losing Jesus at a silly world cup . I see that Rashford and Haaland have suddenly got injured and have withdrawn from their international squads.
I bet our players get the full time available and come back with leetel niggells
Strange and very lucky that their injuries happened after their last games before the break .
Maybe I’m just an old cynic. (I’m rubbing my chin if anyone remembers that).
It’s always been the same with Arsenal, too honest for their own good when it comes to international football.
The women take on Bayern Munich tonight in the WCL, good luck girls..
Bayern win one nil. We will have to do better in the home leg.
New post up now