Arsenal

[dom]

Well Arsenal have kept Sky happy by ensuring the league won't be decided until the last game.

United played well considering their poor form and injury problems. They actually dominated possession.  Arsenal were quite poor but only one thing mattered (well 3 things)

[Slim]

The "Arsenal Ultras" on a special forces mission:

https://twitter.com/AwayDays_/status/1790260639018918369

[dom]

That was a serious performance and a serious result. To go to WHL with an understrength team against a fully fit Spurs and return with 3 points is a real signal of intent.

Magnificent performances from Raya, Saliba and Gabriel. But the whole team defended like monsters and despite plenty of possession Spurs were made to look largely toothless.

Team looks so coherent and organised. Credit to Arteta and his team

[dom]

Looking back to Sunday, that was some game. I really think we're beginning to see the complete manager that Arteta is.  Wenger was undoubtedly a purist and at times that was beautiful to watch.  Mikel is more of a pragmatist. Where ever he can find and exploit a competitive advantage he goes for it.  From being pretty ineffective with free-kicks and corners Arsenal are now the best team in the league with this aspect of the game.

Wenger wanted players with exqusite skill and even though Arteta wants those too, he knows that is not enough.  For years and years Arsenal had a tendency to be bullied out of their game, to be pushed around - opposition players believed Arsenal could be got at and exploited that to the max.  No longer, Arteta's team won't be pushed around.

To see how successful this tactic is, just look at City's reaction after the game.  Silva, Haaland, Stones in particular all sounded like winghing kindergarden toddlers.  Arsenal have got under City's skin. 

They obviously preferred the old Arsenal - wouldn't any opponent?  The Arsenal that lost 5 - 0 after having a man sent off!

Now they just have to learn not to kick the ball away.  Ok for other teams to do it, but not Arsenal.  As soon as they work that out, they will be flying.

3 away games against Spurs, Villa and City - 7 points.   Any Arsenal fan would have bitten your hand off for that at the start of the season

[Slim]

True, but at the same time, despite that - you're still behind two of those teams in the league.

[dom]

True, but at the same time, despite that - you're still behind two of those teams in the league.

Yeah, City are City, point I was making is that Arsenal have had tougher fixtures than anyone else. And to be only 2 points off top despite that bodes well.

[Slim]

Leicester have equalised against Arsenal as I type, from 2-0 down I believe (I've been listening on 5 Live while doing ohter stuff).

Mixed feelings. The Arsenal fans have been a bit cocky recently but I'd love Gary Lineker to live through Leicester going down again.

[dom]

That was a bizarre game. Arsenal were so dominant in the first half Leicester didn't get a sniff. The 2 0 score at half time was probably flattering to Leicester.

Leicester improved in the 2nd half and Arsenal were guilty of being a little laid back and before I knew it it was all square.

The game then reverted to type with an utterly dominant home team hammering their opponents without finding a way through. The Leicester keeper played out of his skin, some fantastic saves amongst the 13 he made. Trossard hit the post and it was beginning to look like 2 points lost.

But corner expertise told again and Havertz got the luckiest goal of his career (I imagine).

Hopefully lessons have been learnt for the slackness that allowed Leicester in.

[dom]

Arsenal deserved to lose yesterday. Saliba was perhaps a little unlucky to see red but Arteta was very timid after the red card. He brought on another defender who's short pass back to the keeper gave Bournemouth their second.

I think he should have gone for it. It was a very dull game as a result and Arsenal lost anyway. 

I've just seen the 96th minute City winner in the Wolves game. Somehow Silva's budge into Jose Sa was not interfering with play. I'm sure that had that been Arsenal it would have been disallowed. Furthermore if City had been playing Bournemouth yesterday and Stones had fouled Edilson the yellow wouldn't have been upgraded. In those 50/50 decisions that could go either way, they invariably go City's way

[dom]

A while since I posted here. Who'd have believed back then that City would crash so badly and that it wasn't Arsenal that would have taken full advantage.  Fair play to Liverpool for transitioning so smoothly from Klopp to Slot. Still some hope for Arsenal but any slip ups from them and you'd have to think that the league title is heading to Anfield.

Good win tonight against a very strong at home Brentford and a similar performance will be required at Brighton at the weekend. The next couple of months without Saka is a complication Arteta could have done without but he'll have to find a way.

[Slim]

Glad to see Arsenal win at the weekend because it keeps the title race alive, but actually I was pleased to see the lad sent off for that tackle. Sick of seeing cynical fouls like that, it's just cheating.

[dom]

I must admit that some of the comments against Oliver, "it's the worst decision ever in the history of football" were a tad over the top. Arsenal got the win too so it wasn't a huge deal

Having said that, with my partisan hat on, I do hope the ban is rescinded.  He's a fine player who shows a maturity much greater than his 18 years.  Great technical ability too and much needed in the squad with all the defensive injuries

[dom]

3 match ban rescinded so he's free to play against Man City, Newcastle in the Carling cup semi and Leicester.

In terms of the rules of the game as they stand, I think that overturning the ban was the correct decision

[dom]

Enjoyed the result against City yesterday. The nature of it after years of being battered by them was particularly satisfying.  The strong start came about by such a string press that City couldn't deal with it. Very unusual for a Pep team but it looks like Arsenal were aware that the current City team are not as assured in playing out from the back as they used to be, yet they still play that way.

After the first 25 minutes though, Arsenal became a little too risk averse. This allowed City into the game, and Raya made 2 brilliant stops before Haaland equalised.

That was the moment when Arsenal let the shackles off and completely dominated City.  Those 4 unanswered goals did not flatter the home team at all.

City were left to petty acts of petulance. How did Bernardo Silva escape a red, yet alone a yellow! Superb player but he really went down in my estimation yesterday.

Biggest plus yesterday was the performance of Lewis Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri. Future is beginning to look in safe hands as they move to centre stage.

[Slim]

I think that result yesterday means that Liverpool have the title in the bag now. I did have a faint hope that City might catch them but that's not realistic now.