Morning all.
So our “clean sheet” run came to an end, as did our winning run. Shock horror, we drew a match away from home. The world has ended, the hopes of Arsenal winning the league are over and we might as well write this season off right now. At least that’s what one might think if the “internet” is anything to go by. Slight exaggeration perhaps but I’m sure you get my drift.
Unless anyone expect Arsenal to breeze through this period with an injury hit attacking unit, then the draw at Sunderland won’t be considered as catastrophic as it might seem. Disappointing, yes, but that’s because we conceded in the final minutes of the game and in an uncharacteristic fashion for this Arsenal defence. Footballers are human, they don’t always produce perfection, not even the best players in the game.
Odegaard, Havertz, Martinelli, Madueke, Jesus and more recently, Gyokeres, have been missing from the squad. We miss them! But instead of looking at the negative surrounding two points dropped at Sunderland, why not focus on just how well we have done without them? Because we have done extremely well which is why there’s all the ridiculous headlines in the media which suggest we’re the favourites to win the Premier League and Champions League. Utter rubbish in my opinion.
Riccardo Calafiori after the Sunderland game:
I’m so happy to be part of this team, this defensive line. Whoever plays, I think we do really good, but I don’t really care about the record, I just want to win every game and try to concede as least as possible.
We are top of the league so we must be happy at least, we need to think about that. We need to think about the next game which will be tough, and actually many games that will be tough in the next few months, so we are fully focused and I’m proud of my team so far.
He’s right, the focus should be on where we are today and that’s four points clear at the top of the table with a number of really difficult fixtures behind us. In this league though, there is always difficult fixtures ahead of us too which is definitely the case after the international break. At least there are no more interruptions for international football to worry about. Other clubs however might have to as the African Cup of Nations begins next month and runs through to the middle of January.
With our injured expected back after this international break, we should be stronger. We’ll certainly have more attacking options and pace with the return of Madueke and Martinelli, something we seriously lacked yesterday. Without Gyokeres and the option of Havertz for that matter, we lacked something up front. A target, a player who could keep hold of the ball and match the physicality of the likes of Ballard. I don’t want to knock Merino as a makeshift striker but he’s not what I would call a strong and physical presence in the box.
Another thing we shouldn’t forget is how the officials turned a blind eye to the elbow in the head of Merino which really should have resulted in a penalty for us and at least a booking for Ballard.
The discussion on Sky Sports this morning with ex ref Gallagher who is about as impartial as any other official these days, reckons Ballard simply used his arm for leverage which is what I’d expect him to say, idiot, but an interesting opinion on the Zubimendi foul, booking and subsequent Sunderland goal, came from Jay Bothroyd:
“If he touches the ball ever so slightly, he’s won the ball. It shouldn’t be given as a free-kick. We saw the one against Saka against Fulham, where he gets the ball and goes through the player. That’s the same kind of thing there. Not every time you get the ball is okay. But Saka, Gyokeres…unless the referee’s association is telling me it’s different rules in the box, that should be given as a challenge that’s okay.”
In real time, the Zubimendi challenge didn’t look like foul but good old Pawson made sure it was given, no doubt knowing full well that our midfielder would play the rest of the game knowing that one slip up and he was off. I’m not blaming the officials for our dropped points because that was of our own doing, after all, we created enough opportunities to win the game but if the officials were more consistent and honest even, we’d be talking about a very different game and possibly a very different result.
Catch up in the comments.
On the subject of Pawson I thought that I would look up his record on results against whether the home team get advantage and his record is damning. 48% end up home wins and 26% away with 26% drawn.
This suggests that he is influenced by the crowd and would certainly buckle to one as vociferous as the Wearsiders. and as Cicero commented he was probably aware of the chance of problems should he not give the 50/50’s to the home team. and certainly a sending off would have been a step too far for him.
I doubt that Sunderland are hyped up as much for matches as they were for this one , obviously both Xhaka and Ballard had things to prove but they stand 13th in the list of yellow cards issued with 19 in 11 games . Top are Brighton with 28 and bottom are Arsenal with 11., of interest their top culprit is Xhaka ( nothing changes )with 4 so far ,. As the suspension limit is 5 in the first 19 games both he and his midfield partner Sadiki , also on 4 , will no doubt manage to get the next one in time to miss their early December games against Liverpool and Man City.
It’s written in the stars , I tell you.
Was there any doubt it wasn’t?
Nice one Rico,
Totally agree about the media/Internet over-reaction. You’d have thought we lost 6-0 .No team wins every game. Mind you the result yesterday wasn’t good for us,even though it’s always fun to see Liverpool lose. City are now level with us on goal difference and ahead on goals scored.
We are still in a great position,I’m sure Arteta won’t let any complacency creep in.
Jay Bothroyd talks sense,I think he’s an Arsenal fan so he probably won’t last on Sky.
I’ve got the hang of refreshing Highbury House so I get the latest post,and refreshing the comments throughout the day.
13 days until the next Arsenal men’s game…
Thanks Limey, it is crazy. We’re all frustrated I know but some of the views I’ve read online are bonkers. Poor Arteta, one minute brilliant, the next he’s hopeless.
I didn’t realise the site had stopped auto updating on logging in. That’s a head scratcher.
I think it’s the Russian bots Rico
Good afternoon Rico, best to give the internet a miss during the interlull, nothing positive will be written about Arsenal and anything that is written will be by click hunting morons with nothing better to do with their time.
DG, while in Malta I visited the Cathedral in Valletta and saw the stunning Caravaggio painting of The Death of John the Baptist. I was absolutely astonished at the skill of the artist. I must have
stared at it for for twenty minutes or more before my wife dragged me away. It was so lifelike, almost unbelievable. Certainly one of the highlights of my trip.
Russian bats Kev? What have they got anything to do with it?
I think so too Kev, or the BBC. 😝
Afternoon Cicero, I like to have a look around because very often it’s comedy gold. Lol
Afternoon rico, all. So Dan Burn got a second yellow and is sent off. Next league game…. City!
Afternoon Andrew, oh the irony…