We are top of the league. We are top of the league. Ok, the opposition has not been overwhelming. It’s felt more like pre-season at times. And we’d wrapped this up after 15 minutes. Maybe even in the warm-ups. Or maybe on the A3. Either way, this was easy peasy lemony squeezy.
Three games in and it’s a different world to last year. This team is different. As is the opposition. And it all starts with Jesus. I’ll admit I was skeptical that this was the forward we needed. I loved the idea of getting Zinny – so I was 50% right. But Jesus continues to be at the center of everything good. And he’s ignited Martinelli. That first goal had Jesus weaving his way through four of their defenders – all scared to bring him down. Then, again, he set up Martinelli but Odegaard was there to sweep up the re-bound. We continued to dominate. Bournemouth were surprisingly passive. They had no press, energy or physicality. Apart that its for their lumbering giant at center-forward. Insipid is how I’d describe them. But again, you can only beat what’s in front of you. And this lot were dead as a doe-doe. The second arrived care of Saka and, again, Jesus. Thereafter we seemed to drift into game management.
Partey hardly had to break into a sweat. Zinny was buzzing all around the pitch. From left-back, to left-wing and right midfield. He has a license to thrill. It’s a pleasure to see someone with such a high football IQ. He reads the game so well. Shame he’s not that great at defending. In front – or to the side of him – we saw Xhaka spend more time in their box than ours. He was a tad sloppy with some of his passing but overall he looks so much more at ease and comfortable with Zinny near him. And then in front you him you have the effervescent Martinelli. He should have scored today but brings an incessant energy level to this team.
Odegaard, even if we set aside his brace, was dominant today. Controlling the pace of the game, strolling around and opening up their defense. One of these days a thug i.e. Hjojberg etc, will just crunch him out of a game. But given space and freedom, Odegaard is a master at pulling the strings. There is a growing maturity in his performances. But, I suppose you have to consider the opposition.
Ramsdale has yet to climb back to the heights of last year. His defense warranted the clean sheet. But Aaron made a few mistakes, again, today both with his distribution and his physicality during corners. We know though he will come good. I want him to the England goalie for the WC; he has to displace that ugly Pickle at Everton – who should be relegated by then anyway.
Gabriel was solid as a Brazillian rock today. He was there to intercept the few crosses and raids they had in our penalty area. And he kept his distribution relatively simple as well. And alongside him we had the other star of the game; Our Willy is really quite impressive. I know. I could not resist. Sorry. But really, in addition to snuffing out any hope they had of an attack he then produced a majestic goal. Not only did it put the final nail in their coffin. It also cemented his burgeoning hero status. But what a delightful, skillful finish. And with his left foot. Between him and Gabriel, White had better continue working on being a dominant right back because those two have the center of the defense locked up. If you include his goal from last week he’s now one of our top scorers. He’s got more goals than Saka and ESR.
I remain unconvinced by White at right back. His distribution was bit dodgy again today. Too many errant passes but he did set up that second goal. It’s hard for him though to adapt to this position. And we still have Toomy waiting on the sidelines. There are so many games ahead of us that they’ll both get plenty of playing time. But it’s nice to see the exact same team selected for three straight games. And I’m sure it will be that way for the Fulham game as well.
It’s so strange watching this team this year. The ease with which they managed this game and were barely under any pressure. There’s no tension, fear or screaming – from me that is. It’s so unusual. No angst. It was a stroll in the park today. But it allows this team to knit itself together; to continue to figure out ways in which operate as a team.
The bench looks half decent as well. Being able to bring on two actual full-backs in Tierney and Tommy along with ESR, Eddie and our new Vieira. I have to remind myself how different this squad is from the one MA inherited. The progress is pretty astounding. I think it’s just Saka who’s left now. And Holding. Soon, I pray, Pepe will be gone. Nice to have him in Nice. Anywhere but North London. Removing him and OhNo elevates this team. We need a genuine replacement for Partey though. There is no way he gets through the season without his regular thigh/hamstring injury. As much as I admire our Elneny, we can’t be a serious contender without an equivalent level of ability in the backup.
And it finally looks like Hector will be finding his way back home. He deserves to return home. He served us well. He never really recovered his blistering pace after his major injury. But he’s served us loyally and I wish him well. He had a unique style and was way more sophisticated and informed than you’d normally expect from a footballer. He was a pleasure to listen too even is his fashion sense was a little off the rails.
Back to Jesus. He has been transformative for this team. He deserved a goal today. Actually he had one. But it took that monumental cunt of a VAR ref Paul Tierney to rob him of that goal. Why would it take him to long to disallow if, if it wasn’t borderline. In which case the advantage should go to the attacker. It all depends on which frame you pick to draw the line. The sooner they automate this and remove retards like Paul Tierney the better. It’s bad enough he robbed us with a non-existent penalty, a dubious sending off and then numerous missed calls against the Spuds but now he had to take a deserved goal away from Jesus. I dread the thought of this complete cunt refereeing us this season. He is completely clueless. It’s not just our games. I’ve seen him in many other games. It feels like with the retirement of Mike Dean, the FA masters have conspired to foster Tierney on us.
Back to Jesus. We have to wrap him in cotton wool now. He inspires this team. We can’t have him injured. He was instrumental in everything good today – along with Odegaard.
This was fun to watch, relaxing and reminiscent – yet again – of the Fabregas, Carzola and Rosicky days. But with a defensive midfield and a real defense. But the beauty of the game has returned to Arsenal. I know it won’t last. That there are stupid losses ahead of us, games where we will be physically mauled. Without Burnley in the league it will be interesting to see which teams try to kick us off the park.
In the meantime, let’s wallow in the glory of being top of the league. Of being the envy of other fans, by playing entertaining, fluent and beautiful football with the youngest team in the league. And we don’t have to sit through any more of that AON documentary. We don’t have to re-live the end of the season again. Let’s hope all that frustration and disappointment gets channeled. And let’s hope that MA does not have to loose his voice. Because he’s rebuilt something special here. There’s a long way to go. It won’t peak this year. But in the next two years, as this team continues to mature, it will. MA has proved those doubting fans wrong. Those dummy, temperamental, entitled fans – the ones who chased AW out because they did not consider 4th an achievement – should now hold their hands up and acknowledge they’ve lost their right to express any opinion on Arsenal. Only I have that right. Which is where I’ll leave this for now. Happy, a believer and looking forward to the next game.
-LB7