Morning all.
I left these words in the comments section of yesterday’s post but here they are again. They describe the late Ken Friar’s vision through the clubs eyes.
Ken Friar probably wouldn’t want people to dwell on his life’s achievements, as he very much embodied Arsenal’s ‘Always Forward’ motto. His maxim of ‘tomorrow’s match is always the most important’ wouldn’t allow for too much contemplation of the past when there was an important future to deal with.
What a positive outlook. Why concentrate on the past when either today or the next presents an opportunity to do something better? I have quite a strong view on this outlook myself but I’d be here all day writing about it and I doubt anyone would be interested in any case but I do think too much focus is given to rewriting the wrongs of yesteryear.
Ken Friar was one of many Mr Arsenal’s the club has had over the years and fans have a lot to grateful for. The news of his passing yesterday was sad to hear but my goodness, he probably had a wonderful life. Watching ‘his club’ lift one more Premier League trophy last May must have been fantastic for him as it was for us.
Rest Peacefully Ken Friar…
On to Kev’s review of last nights match.
Mikel Arteta made five changes from the team which had accounted for Leeds United last Saturday. We got what many fans had been asking for, to protect Bakayo, Kai, Capt Martin and Calafiori etc but it obviously came with a certain degree of risk and possible disruption. Noni Madueke had switched back to the right wing, behind him Timber was at right back, Eze was on the left wing, Myles at left back, the underused Mikel Merino started alongside new boy Bruno for the first time. Viktor led the line up front, sometimes it can look seamless but on other occasions things don’t quite sync…
There seemed to me a certain lack of urgency and sharpness about Arsenal’s play, I put it down to figuring out the opposition initially but as the passes went astray and the crosses were overhit you could sense a frustration both on the field and in the stands whilst Arteta was clearly unhappy with what he was seeing. The players knew things weren’t quite working, you could see it in their expressions and body language, all the same and with the exception of two efforts on our goal by Lille the Frenchmen were pinned in their own half and often pinned into their own penalty area as their 4 5 1 sometimes became a 4 6 0.
With 15 minutes gone we were still waiting for the game to liven up but it was very much your average uneventful dull European fayre, although these games can be dangerous because you think it’s only a matter of time before you score and then a mistake at the back sees you chasing the game. Fortunately this Arsenal team doesn’t panic, it has learnt from the previous couple of seasons that you need to be switched on even more so when things aren’t clicking.
Eventually Timber got going and between minutes 20 and 22 he set up two great chances, but Bruno fired wide and then Senor Reliable Merino headed a great chance limply to the goalkeeper. Lille did actually score but fortunately it was offside, so yes it’s really as easy as all that – and then you’re in a world of you know what! On 38 Myles did great to create a chance but it was missed by Eze then on 46 a smart Bruno drive was pushed away with Gyokeres lurking. H/T 0-0
No changes at the break but there was a slight improvement in intensity and movement from the Gunners although Lille had superbly parked their autobus and the Gunners just couldn’t get around it but on 59 I thought we had a strong claim for a penalty when Bruno was clattered in the box, unfortunately the VAR computer said no.
Arteta decided to act and as with Leeds it had the desired effect because as the subs were preparing to enter the fray Noni found Timber who smartly knocked the ball into space and as he caught up with it he chipped a delightful wedge shot over the Lille goalkeeper and we all went phew…
A minute later on came the cavalry with Saka, Havertz and Odegaard replacing Madueke, Gyokeres and Merino and then everything just fell into place, the speed of pass, the movement, the connection, the Gunners had finally woken from their slumber.
Six minutes after the substitutions the game was over, on 67 Timber and Odegaard combined to win possession and then Martin put Bakayo away on the right wing, the much maligned Saka laid on a peach of a pass on the plate for Ebbs Eze who thumped home an unstoppable drive.
On 70 Eze almost scored again but the goalkeeper made a smart one handed save, then a minute afterwards and following more intense pressing from the Gunners, Havertz found some space despite a possible offside call and set up Bakayo who calmly fired home. Job done…
Still time for Konsa to make a great tackle and stop a breakaway before Ben White replaced Timber on 78 and finally Max made his entrance for Eze on 85. The last 20 minutes or so after that three goal burst was just good old game management.
It would be easy to make a big deal out of this game. To overly criticise the performance of the Gunners but Inter Milan lost at home 3-4 to Club Brugge and Norwegian minnows Viking held mighty Bayern to a 3-3 draw in Stavenger so maybe a bit of reflection should be on the agenda about where we are, what we are and where that might take us in May or June next year?
Bayern are in the frame, that’s a game I’m really looking forward to because we’ve suffered an awful lot of pain in Munich. Harry Kane and Co will be favourites, they’ll be looking to avenge the beating they took at our place last season, but maybe it’s time we righted a few wrongs..
We March On.
By Kev
Morning guys.
New post up now
It is Kev, PG for me 😜
It’s enough to make you weep into your tea Rico, or latte. 😁
Can’t believe he’s been appointed for our game. Or any for that matter…
Not read it yet Cicero..
You’ve been busy Kev. 😂
Oliver’s absence from last weekend’s Premier League programme came as a surprise, with Chris Kavanagh taking charge of Liverpool against Manchester City.
Arsenal arrive in Nottingham having won nine of their last 10 matches in all competitions, scoring 17 goals, conceding six and keeping four clean sheets.
Forest have won just one of their seven fixtures this season, drawing two and losing four. They have scored five goals while conceding 10.
Oliver will be assisted by Burt and James Mainwaring, with Farai Hallam as fourth official. Hallam will also referee Manchester City’s game on Saturday.
Michael Salisbury will be on VAR, assisted by Ian Hussin. Salisbury was 4th official for Arsenal’s game against Brighton, while Mainwaring was assistant VAR for the same match.
(Daily Cannon)
He took charge of Al-Hilal’s 2-0 victory over Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia in April 2023, with reporting at the time saying he had PGMOL permission and received around £3,000 plus business-class travel.
Oliver also travelled to referee Sharjah against Al-Ain in the United Arab Emirates in September 2023 alongside Darren England, Dan Cook and Stuart Burt. Burt will also be involved in Arsenal’s game this weekend.
The criticism arose from the perception of a conflict of interest, with English referees accepting paid work in a state-backed league in the country associated with City’s ownership.
Reporting also pointed to City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak’s position on the board of the league’s principal sponsor, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
Let’s also not forget the time he sent Leandro Trossard off against Manchester City for kicking the ball away, or when he booked Lewis-Skelly, at the time a sub, for passing on a message to David Raya. Funnily enough, that was also in a game against City.
Oliver’s overseas refereeing work has also attracted scrutiny.
Oliver was again at the centre of controversy when Wolves faced Arsenal in January 2025. He sent off Myles Lewis-Skelly for serious foul play, but an independent FA commission unanimously upheld Arsenal’s wrongful-dismissal claim in record quick time.
After that red card, Arsenal were fined three times the normal amount for their protests.
The commission’s written reasons found that Oliver “had made an obvious error” and that Lewis-Skelly had neither endangered his opponent’s safety nor used excessive force.
The suspension was withdrawn, but the fine stood.
Oliver also incorrectly sent Gabriel Martinelli off after showing two yellow cards in the same passage of play, having played advantage without informing the Arsenal forward that he would be booked for the first offence. That was also against Wolves.
Against City in October 2023, Oliver booked Mateo Kovacic for a red card challenge on Martin Odegaard, then declined to show him a second yellow after another red card challenge on Declan Rice.
I see we have Man City’s favourite referee this weekend at Forest, Michael Oliver.
I saw some of the City vs PSG team and I cannot get away from the feeling that PSG, despite the financial doping they engage in, receive an enormous amount of help from the French football authorities, it’s almost as if our Gallic cousins whilst realising that PSG are cheats view them as ‘our cheats’ and therefore luxuriate in the reflected glow of their Champions League success whilst the rest of Ligue Un is a pale shadow of it’s previous incarnation.
‘morning all.
Very good Ken Friar obituary in the Telegraph this morning.
Rico,
When Rice is deployed forward as left no. 8, it was Zubi holding the fort behind him as a single pivot.
Arteta started the season with MLS as left side no. 8 with Rice as the single pivot.
Rice is a complete midfielder, box-to-box, and when team came to grip with Lille low block, Arsenal began to attack consistently with Rice in midfield.
I rate Bruno as a no. 10 and a worthy substitute for Odegaard with Rice as left side no. 8.
It is back to 2025 when Zubi is scintillating as a single pivot allowing Rice to romp forward as an attacking midfielder.
One more season, and I think MLS will begin to come good as DCM, replacing Zubi next season. MLS is that good with the defensive attribute as LB as well.
Again Lille, see MLS inverting all the time as a midfielder rather than as LB?
Goodnight all.
It was. Could easily have ended 6-6
2 – 4 now, sounds like a good game.
1 – 3 now.
City 3-0 down at home against PSG, it’s not even halftime yet.. 😜
Not many like him left Stuart..
I wonder if PSG will be looked at at some stage..
Thanks for the post Rico/Kev. All I have read about Ken Friar indicates that he was a man of his word, an example to us all.
“Le Corruptico” is most certainly a good way to describe this mornings match. It will be like watching an AI video, patently unreal and ultimately unsatisfying. Very much like that appalling non-aggression pact played out by Austria and West Germany in the ’82 World Cup.
The only good to come of that was the rule change to make every last WC group match kick off at the same time.
What can be done about PSG and City dominating through cheating? More rules? The old conundrum about whether morality can be legislated. Look at law today, we’ve gone from 10 straightforward commandments to veritable libraries of nuanced slyness.
At the heart of the problem is the heart of man. God help us.
Merlin, why does it have to be either all re Lewis-Skelly and Zubimendi? We have a luxury situation that when all our midfielders are fit, none need to be overplayed..
Cant think he’d have a reason to tell porkies Kev.. Quite like a coffee though..
The performance of Gyokeres should be read in this perspective:
#1 – He has no service from Madueke and Eze, both of them were poor in crossing.
#2 – Merino is just anonymous and didn’t even link up with Gyok.
A better gauge of Gyokeres will be when Tzolis, Saka, Odegaard, Rice and Bruno are in the team.
I will cut Gyok some slake as he was in a team that couldn’t create any chance for him.
I think Arteta was experimenting with 4-4-2 with Merino as the deep-lying striker.
As usual, Rice started off deep and sitting between 2 CB until the Defensive Unit found its rhythm.
Later in 1st half and all of 2nd half, Rice was driving forward together with Bruno and opening up space for Martin (2nd half).
Gyokeres-Merino Pair has no chemistry and did not work in 4-4-2.
Martin Odegaard is the key linking up Midfield with Forward Line.
In the absence of Martin, Bruno should be his replacement with Rice as left no. 8 and Zubi as DCM.
You all think MLS is ready to replace Zubi as DCM?
I heard it on a podcast Rico, I hope that Mikel is right… I think it might have been Latte Firm.
I wonder where the rumour about Saka still carrying an injury came from because Arteta says he is now injury free.
Afternoon Cicero, Geoff.
Ha ha Cicero, not sure if you mean like Hinge and Bracket or Eric and Ernie. Lol
Noni is so frustrating. One half decent game and then he reverts to his old self. Thought our three goals were taken really well. That’s what happens when players shoot..
Morning Cicero and thanks, you are also an integral part of what makes the House an enjoyable daily routine. 👍
Totally agree on Saka, I’m sure that Arteta is aware of his lack of explosive acceleration since his untimely operation and is gradually moulding him into a more central threat as Max will eventually replace him on the flank.
I don’t know what goes on between the ears of Noni because last season there was a game where he was like a metronome putting the ball almost under the bar, in fact he did score direct from a corner! Where has that accuracy gone?
Cheers HH
Good morning Rico/Kev, what a duo. 😉
It’s good to see Saka moving into a more central role, I’m sure he will get more goals there than on the wing.
Madueke should never again take a corner, over hit, picked off at the near post or gobbled up by the ‘keeper.
Morning Rico and all, if keep waiting for the second half to wake up and score, I might just sleep in and set the alarm in time to watch the second half 😊
I look forward to every game. At least until we’re five minutes in. 😂
Nice Kev, a nod to Ken Friar, and good analysis of how the game played out.
It’s still early doors,, but two from two, we’ve already established our strength in Europe, and like you, I’m looking forward to Bayern next week, it’s nice to go there with no fear or anxiety.
We’ve probably been a bit guilty of shrinking to their reputation (particularly under Wenger), but last season we rose to the challenge and laid a ghost to rest.
Again, I imagine PSG will be our biggest threat, although Barca are always a wild-card.
Onto Forest, who aren’t exactly a ‘bogey’ side, but two draws in successive seasons shows the strength of the PL, there are no gimme’s, and since their promotion, Forest have grown to the point they are no longer considered as automatic relegation candidates.
They love giving us a bloody nose too, so it’s very much game on.
Morning Kev, all.
Thanks for a good post again.
A routine win in the end. I reckon players are just a bit rusty still and over the next few weeks will settle more. It was a long season last campaign and a tough summer. At least we’re winning when not always at our best.
Morning Rico and Gooners, a nice tribute to Ken Friar, well deserved.