Morning all.

Mikel Arteta after the game:

Yeah, a big performance, collectively and individually I thought we were really good against a really good team that was in great form, and they were going to ask us a lot of questions, and we responded really well. From the start of the game I think we were really determined, really flowing, playing with a lot of courage and making things happen. Yeah, really happy with the result, it’s a big day for our supporters as well so really happy with that.

I didn’t get to see the first half as life prevented it but boy, that was some second half Arsenal performance against Chelsea. Thomas Partey back in the starting lineup was something I suspect many an Arsenal fan has wanted to see since the day he broke down for the umpteenth time. Jesus, Zinchenko, Kiwior, Jorginho and Martinelli had to settle for a place on the bench alongside the usual suspects.

The first half was even I heard with both sides having chances to score but it was Leandro Trossard who gave us the lead after just 4 minutes. The second half saw Arsenal simply blow Chelsea away. We had so many chances we could have won the game by ten clear goals. I’m not complaining by the way, it’s just that I wish we had of royally battered them. 5-0 wasn’t bad though eh? lol

From the 45 minutes I saw, Chelsea were poor. Whether that’s because we were so good or not is subjective but honestly, we ripped through their midfield and defence so often and so easily, a lot of credit has to go to the way the players did it.

The strength Kai Havertz showed to brush off his defender for one of his goals was great to see. He certainly wanted to get one over his old club and he did, twice. Brilliant to see as was his celebration. Ben White got on the scoresheet twice too, his first was good, his second, just brilliant. Who cares that his intention was to play the ball into the box? Not me..

Mikel Arteta had the opportunity to make earlier than usual changes and he took it. Saka, Trossard, Tomiyasu, Havertz and Partey were replaced with Martinelli, Vieira, Jorginho, Jesus and Zinchenko from 72 minutes onwards. Martinelli and Vieira really should have added to the scoreline.

Scoring five goals is brilliant regardless of who the opposition is although when they’re against Chelsea it’s special –  but a word for the defence and Arsenal’s defending as a team. A clean sheet against a team full talent is excellent and it’s not for the first time this season either. Our defence, including the often criticised David Raya has kept 14 clean sheets this season. Incredible really.

Ok, let’s talk about the officials, including VAR. Awful, just awful. How on earth did Jackson go unpunished for his ankle breaking challenge on Tomiyasu? The on field referee did nothing, VAR did nothing either. If they thought the incident warranted a yellow card, VAR’s hands were tied but in my mind, such a challenge deserves a red card each and every time. VAR could have sent Simon Hooper to the pitch side monitor and let him see the challenge again because had they done so, I’m pretty sure he’d have come to a different conclusion. We hear from managers about fixture congestion and players welfare well no amount of games a week can cause the kind of damage that an ugly tackle like Jackson’s can. For Jackson, there is no consequence for his actions so in his head he probably thinks he did nothing wrong. He did as he put another players career at risk.

A few factoids from Arsenal.com:

  • David Raya kept his 14th clean sheet in the Premier League this season as he leads the race for the Golden Glove.
  • We have scored our earliest goal in the Premier League against Chelsea (3:58) since Thierry Henry netted in the second minute versus the Blues in December 2004.
  • Rice has recorded six assists in 34 Premier League appearances for us, as many as he provided in his final 105 outings in the competition for West Ham.
  • We had 13 shots in the first half of this match, our most on record (since 2003/04) in the first half of a Premier League game against Chelsea.
  • White’s goal was our 14th in the Premier League this season via a corner, the most of any team.
  • We have scored 12 goals via defenders in the Premier League this season, the outright most of any team (Tottenham Hotspur & Newcastle United – 11).
  • Havertz has been directly involved in 11 goals in his last 10 Premier League appearances (7 goals, 4 assists).

We couldn’t go into a north London derby feeling more confident in my opinion. Cocky no, but confident that we can go to Totts and earn a win. I say earn because that’s what this group of players can do. We might have dropped points against Villa and been knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern but can anyone honestly say that either result came through lack of trying? I doubt it myself.

Liverpool go to Everton tonight and tomorrow, Man City travel to the south coast to face Brighton. Two home wins would do us a huge favour.. Fingers crossed.

Catch up in the comments.

 

 

 

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