Month: February 2024

Another performance. Another statement. This time against, nominally, a good team. Right from the start we completely controlled this game. Deservedly won. And keep pace with the Juggernaut.

These last few games in the Premier League (let’s ignore the Champions League for the moment) have shown how much this team has developed since last year. Since our early Christmas break, this team has been on fire. And today, we ripped Newcastle apart. They had no clue how to respond.

Arteta brought back Jorginho and pushed Rice into the Xhaka role. And Jorginho, in the first half, completely controlled the game. He kept the game in front of him and linkup the defense to the midfield  – Odegaard in particular. Odegaard floated between their lines and helped slice them apart.

With Have-that up front, we played an intense high press and they could not cope. They made so many forced mistakes. In truth, we had a number of chances that we managed to squander. It seemed inevitable that we would take the lead. And, naturally, it came from a corner. Rather than spend money on a center-forward we’ve gone the route of becoming a goal-scoring team from corners. We are the more elegant version of Stoke City. Soon we will have Ben White launching long throws.

Jorginho was so good today. As he was the last time he started. As long as we can dominate, he can pull the strings. But as we saw with their lone goal, he does not have the pace to recover on counter attacks. In many ways, he is our own little version of Fabregas.

How bad were Newcastle? So bad that their best player was their worst player. Karius helped keep the score respectable and can’t be held responsible for any of our goals. He was unlucky with the first one after pulling of a great save from Gabriel. And thereafter he was undone by his leaky defense (and midfield). I just don’t understand what Newcastle’s strategy was. They looked like Forest or Palace, just with a much higher payroll and bank balance. Everyone was singing Howe’s praises last year – rightly – but today they looked completely random and uncoordinated. At home they are so aggressive while on the road they are meek and docile.

So many of their players did not turn up. Trippier was completely lost today. Martinelli, though he set up the second goal, was not at his best today but was still able to torture Trippier. Our movement was so much faster and decisive. We clearly wanted to make amends for Porto. It was so enjoyable to watch yet another demolition. It won’t always be like this so enjoy while we can.

This was as enjoyable to watch as the other recent games but more like the Liverpool match as these lot were supposed to be half decent. As we applied that high press they wilted quickly and had no outlet. I’m not sure they induced a single save from Raya in the first half. Arsenal were imperious. It was just a case of whether we would convert our chances. The Jorginho pass to the incisive run of Martinelli then set up Have-that to double the lead. Have-that really is a little bit of an enigma. Right at the start of the second-half, he managed to miss another, super straight-forward chance after we’d sliced them apart again. That, against a better team, might have been a sliding doors moment. Instead we had Saka to thank for the that goal that finally put the game to rest.

Have-that worked so hard at pressing and closing down their defenders. And his link-up play and passing is simple, smart and uncomplicated. He just has this propensity to miss too many easy chances. In that way he reminds me of the departed but not missed Danny Welbeck. That’s a little unfair (to Have-that). But his presence allowed us to compact the game into their 1/3^rd of the pitch. I’m just grateful he got on the score sheet again. If he’s rate of development and progress continues, he will, at some point, be a star in this team.

Rice took a little time to slot into the Xhaka role. While abrogating his primary responsibility to Jorghino, it took him some time to find his new groove. But having him press higher up the pitch meant he was able to breakup play much closer to their goal. But, at times, you wondered whether he’d have preferred to be playing in his normal role. Of course, this formation was most likely what Arteta was hoping for in the Summer with the expectation that it would be Partey playing that defensive role instead. I doubt we’ll ever see that happen now.

Saliba and Gabriel were again largely unchallenged. Certainly not in the first half. With Isak up front you’d have though they’d feed him the ball. But with White completely dominating their other high priced signing – Gordon – they were able to help push the play further up the pitch. And Kiwior again had another solid game. He even managed to support Martinelli and venture up field. With White playing the inverted role, Kiwior is released to play a more conventional attacking full back role. You can see though that he is a more natural center-back. And he can score goals as well! Without Zinny, Tomi and Timber, we’re lucky to have him. The idea that he might have gone off to Italy in the winter is a joke.

Saka had another stellar game. He destroyed their Dan Burns replacement. He created chances, linked up well with everyone and look like he’s back in fine fettle. And he got that all important third goal. And he set up that first goal as well. I loved though how Odegaard roamed over the pitch, he really seems to be enjoying his football. And he’s another one that presses their defense so well. Sometime, he insists on playing that perfect pass. But that’s the price you pay for brilliance.

We are firing on all cylinders in the league. We might not win this league but we clearly have grown since last year. Most of this can be ascribed to Rice but some of it is just a maturation process. In the second half we were not quite as aggressive, we played more in a game management mode. And even then we doubled the score. But, that’s what we should be doing. We are surely creating fear amongst other teams now. It’s not now as simple as doubling up Saka and Martinelli. We have evolved. And unlike the other two we have further growth years ahead of us.

It was good to see that we made some early substitutions today. We need to rest some of our key players when we can. Especially after Wednesday. That game reminded me why I don’t really enjoy European football. It can be so tedious watching these technical teams set up conservatively and play to hit you on the break. It’s like seeing and AI version of Bolton. They obviously have more talent but are so tedious to watch. It’s this style that explains why European football stadiums are largely empty for their regular league games. I mean, who’d pay to watch that dreary, tedious, Mourinho type football.

And then it’s compounded by the insanely poor referring. I know the EPL refs really suck. But in Europe the refs have gone off in a different direction. This referee was blowing for free kicks if someone touched anyone. Porto would fall over if you looked at them. And he kept awarding free-kicks (to them). In Europe football is a non-contact sport. In the EPL, thankfully, you’re allowed to tackle. It’s just VAR that sucks. But Wednesday reminded me why Europe is so different and difficult. It takes an adjustment. And we don’t (yet) have the experience to adjust.

Hopefully we’ll overcome Porto at home. But expect to see a Bolton-esque defensive wall, plenty of time wasting, Academy-ward winning rolling on the ground with the intent of disrupting any rhythm we might develop. Maybe this is inevitable when teams know they are over-match and the underdog. If we can somehow survive to the next round and play against teams that expect to win, then it will be interesting to watch.

I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s just too much fun watching this team play at the moment. No-one saw this coming after our Christmas disaster. I’m sure this is related to being able to rest our key players. And that’s a by-product of not having Partey, Jesus, Tomi and Timber available (and ESR back then). So, it was good to see ESR get more minutes. I think that’s his role this season. Until he can demonstrate some durability. Not having mid-week games benefits us. And not having any red cards (sorry to jinx it).

As you look at the title race though, there’s only one team people would actually pay to see play. There’s only one team that is entertaining and exciting. And they are the youngest team in this battle. So we might not win it. But the future is blindingly bright. And it’s ours.

-LB7

We should play away more often. Maybe it’s something about the claret and blue we like. Another dominant performance at a venue where we’ve been tested in the path. Not today Junior. This was as enjoyable to watch as last week. Though, in the first half I thought Burnley were better than WHU. But that’s like picking between your least two favourite children (and, trust me, I have plenty of those).

This team was electric and confident today. Right from the start. Well not quite as Burnley had possession for the first three minutes. But then we exploded down the left where Martinelli feed Odegaard who dispatched his half volley perfectly. And that was the tempo of the game set.

In the last few games Rice has been the driving force of this team – as he was today – but you can sometime forget how elegant and intelligent Odegaard is. But not today, he was central to everything that took place on the pitch, acting as our conductor and feeding the right passes to the right people. He has found his groove this calendar year and explains (partially) the evolution of this team.

This was so enjoyable to watch. There is a rhythm and balance to this team that’s infectious. We dominate possession and seem so calm on the ball. Though Trossard was not at his best today – he seemed to be carrying a hand injury or something – Have-that drifted around to help link-up our play. He wins important headers and acts as a binding glue to propel this team forward. It was only just that he finally got on the scoresheet. Though his not out loud obvious, over this winning streak, he has provided us with both defensive cover and some physicality that we needed.

The movement and interplay left Burnley gasping for air. As it would most teams. It’s so tough to defend against. And here’s the media and some fans looking for a center-forward. When our false-nines play like this, you’d be hard pressed to figure out where to play such a player. I can’t remember the last time we’ve had back-to-back away games where before half-time I could sit back, relax and enjoy the show without the fear of dropping points.

Sure, this run has seen us encounter the mighty Palace, WHU and now Burnley. And of course, a real team – Liverpool. But even last year – if not over Christmas – we would not have been as imperious as we have been over this stretch. There is a confidence and belief in this team that I’ve not seen before. And a calmness. A sense that, given time – not that we’ve needed too much – we will unlock any defense and that we will take our opportunities.

Saka and Martinelli were our triggers last year and now have returned to form. Both are now destroying their fullbacks. They are either creating our goals or converting them. Saka, in particular, seems to be back to his best. That third goal at the start of the second half unquestionably decided this game – not that there was much doubt. I thought he’d missed his chance with that extra touch; that he should have shot first time. But the rifle shot from his weaker right foot yet again demonstrated why there is no doubt this boy is world class.

Another game with a clean sheet should not go unnoticed. It helps our goal difference but more importantly, all season, it has been the rock on which this team is based. And it’s not just the protection from Rice. Saliba and Gabriel must be the best center-half pairing in the league. Sure, they weren’t exactly harshly tested today. Forfana should some decent flashes in the first half. One time exposing Saliba on the by-line. On their right we now have White, in the absence of Zinny, playing like the inverted full-back. It’s just a shame that when we want to give him a rest, we have to bring on Cedric.

But with White on the right enjoying his football we now have a center-half playing left back in Kiwior. As long as he does not encounter a speedy winger, he’s going to be ok. And he adds to the physicality. But at some point, we really do need Tomi to return to fitness. At least we saw ESR return to the pitch for the last ten minutes. Even if he did not exactly lite it up. Eddie also saw some minutes and managed to miss another header. When you see Trossard and Have-that interchange positions, link up play and then play a high press, you can see why Eddie is on the bench.

Rotating the team, preserving the energy and minimizing the injury risk to our key players is going to be key. As they say, the sample size is small, but we are a much smoother, efficient team when we’re only playing once a week. When I go back to that disastrous (non) performance against Fulham, it feels much more like we’d just run out of gas after too many games in a truncated period, using essentially the same players.

This calendar year it’s been once a week for us. Now we go back into the Champions League at Porto. Which means that come our next match against Newcastle – no easy fixture – we’ll have to have provided some respite to Odegaard, Rice and Saka. So it was good to see two of them swapped out.

It would be good though when visiting Porto if we could at least offer them Vieira and throw in Cedric as a make-weight. Maybe soon we will find out where Partey and Tomi have been hiding. And even Jesus. We can’t continue without sharing out the minutes. But for the moment, we are fully deserving our position in the table. This is clearly now a three horse race. And we are part of it.

There will be an element of randomness to how this season plays out. Hopefully that’s not VAR related – which seems to have been a little bit less intrusive of late. But more likely it will be driven by player fitness and availability. Arteta has already commented that our squad is thin. You only have to look at the bench if you disbelieve that statement. With the injuries we’re carrying and the under-performance of some players, we don’t get to protect our key players. And we saw last season what happens these key players are unavailable.

City have ready replacement in each and every position. That’s what happens when you spend gillions of dollars on a squad. Liverpool have brought through some youngsters but are also vulnerable to key injuries. If they lost VVD that defense would be even more unstable. It would be like us losing Saliba. But they have Salah and many other attacking options.

The other element here will be the head-to-head games between the three of us. And each of our local derbies. And then the distraction of the European competitions. So, unlike previous years, City won’t have it all their own way. It will be good for the league to see them have to operate under some pressure. And, as we saw today, they are capable of dropping points. We also though have to play the improving Chelsea. Lets’s just hope that they still have Jackson up front. He must be one of the most irritating forwards I’ve seen. Combining laziness, skill and abject decision making along with a lead first touch.

So, back to Europe this week. It’s unlikely we can outright win or lose the game in this first leg so let’s hope, whatever happens, we don’t pick up any injuries. And then we can focus on Newcastle. To be clear, I still don’t think we’ll win the league. I don’t see us being consistent enough and the margin for error is going to be so small. But, in the meantime, it’s just so enjoyable to watch this team. It makes you so proud of the way we play, the way the players commit to our style of play and to witness the growth of this set of players.

Maybe, one day, we’ll find ourselves TOTL. For the moment, games like this – and last week – are more than good enough for me. The superiority, the class and the fluidity of this team are priceless to watch. And, we also know this team has far from peaked. We are still young and relatively inexperienced. Arteta will continue to work his magic on this squad. We are now a team that instills fear in others. A team more than worthy of our support.

-LB7

That was the demolition derby. Total domination and the perfect performance. Against our recent nemesis, this was the perfect repost to those that feared we would succumb to a let down after Liverpool. West Ham stole a victory at home only six weeks ago to ruin our Christmas period. Today we delivered the perfect response.

Right from the kick-off we controlled this game. Without Zinny, ESR and Tomi we saw Kiwior fill in at left back. Have-that came back into midfield in place of Jorginho. And with Jesus incurring another knock we have Trossard start-up front. Our movement was so fluid it was hard to tell who was playing in what position.

Today Trossard was electric. Even though he failed to take his chances in the first half, Trossard was the epitome of the false-nine. He was everywhere but in the center forward position. Likewise Martinelli would turn up on the right and Have-that drifted through the front-line.  Whereas against Liverpool we played two holding midfield players, today we reverted back to the more attacking formation. And we swarmed all over them.

WHU set up more like Forest than Liverpool. For periods in the first half they barely touched the ball. Rice controlled the mid-field whereas Odegaard danced around their players looking for that killer pass. Saka torched Emerson and pick up his usual fouls. But Trossard shone throughout. His pass that lead to the Saka penalty was Odegaard-esque in its execution.

The only surprise was that it took 30 minutes for us to score our first goal. And that the first three came from deadballs though Saka would have put his in aside from the clear foul. Gabriel has now scored four this season. Soon he’ll be a candidate for our top scorer or, at least, our center forward position. It’s ridiculous how many goals we’re scoring from free-kicks and corners. You’d have thought the opposition would know what to expect by now.

At four-nil up you figured WHU might, after a stern half-time team-talk, would present a different proposition in the second half. Except, even after making some changes, they were just as dire. We had so much time and space to play through their lines. Even though they adopted the Forest low-block they had no intensity and an inability to mark any man. They really were pretty abject. But that can take nothing away from our performance.

This was a smooth and as seamless as I’ve seen Arsenal play. It looked so easy, we continually found the open space and the open man. Of course, it helps when you have Rice and Odegaard feeding Saka with White on the overlap. As the game progressed the speed of our passing and movement increased. We just tore them apart.

Raya was unemployed today. I doubt he needed a shower after the game. He’s only activity came from handling a couple of corners. In addition, he was able to spring us forward for some quick breaks. Aside from that he acted more like an auxiliary defender albeit largely unused.

We were so good today that even White managed to throw the ball in quickly. None of the usual dithering that we saw last week. We were so good today that we could even bring on Cedric at the end though I’d much preferred to have seen Walters get some minutes.

Given our previous results against WHU, I entered this game with some nerves and a little trepidation. As soon as the game started with Raya not punting the ball up field but instead passing it to Saliba, it took nearly three minutes for WHU to actually touch the ball. By then the pattern of play was pretty clear and was just an issue of whether we would take our chances. In truth the score could have been even higher as WHU were do demoralized, even by half-time. They had no idea what had hit them.

As impressive as Trossard was and as elegant as Odegaard was, it all starts with Rice. The solidity he provides, the protection to the defense, and the first person to receive the ball from them, enables Rice to link up all our play. His only limitation on his game currently is his inability to charge forward. We saw a few times today but his defensive responsibilities restricts him.

His goal was the icing on the cake. And the restraint he showed the WHU fans was quite ironic given how much stick they had been giving him. It showed how mindless and stupid the WHU fans are – not that this is news to anyone. Rice had given ten years of his life to that team and lead them to their first European trophy in 50+ years. Yet they booed him from his first touch to his last – which was his goal.

There were so many good things on display today. For me though, the continued focus and concentration after we swept WHU away spoke to the growing maturity of this team. It would have been so easy to have slipped up and let them score a meaningless goal. But even to the end Gabriel and Saliba were intent on keeping a clean sheet, celebrating each block like each of the goals they scored. Given what happened here last year – especially with that Saka penalty miss – it would have been quite easy to loose focus. It speaks though to the growth in this team.

Whether we can win the league is another conversation but all we can do is perform as we have for the last few weeks. While last weeks Liverpool performance was so impressive todays was as important after the emotional exhaustion that comes from a display such as that. After the destruction of Palace, Forest and now WHU, we can be sure that this team has developed and evolved beyond last year.

Each game will be like a cup-final. City just won’t drop points. And, in all likelihood the game at their place will help decide the outcome. But, we will be in the mix. And this team still has room for improvement. It’s still young and learning. And Arteta, who demonstrated tactical acumen last week, is also still learning his trade. And with his further growth (and inevitable mistakes) will come further improvements in this team. In the meantime, what a joy we are to watch. What a pleasure it is to see a team enjoy it’s football, control the game, dominate possession and create so many chances.

The truth is, when you look back to our home match against them, it all comes down to taking our chances. We pulverized them in that game but were incapable of scoring. Today, though, we took most of the chances that came our way and they just wilted. It just speaks to how fortunate they were at our place and how unjust that result was.

It’s just a shame that ESR was, again, injured. This would have been the perfect game for him to come on and play the last 20 minutes. It sounds like he picked up yet another knock. This boy has no luck whatsoever. Instead, we had to suffer watching Cedric.  Oh well, nothing is perfect.

Which leads nicely to the rumblings coming from UEFA and the IFB. Blue cards? You have to be kidding. Just when we’ve introduced complexity through VAR, they want to make it even more confusing with yet another card colour. Which particular problem needs to be solved here? A sin-bin? Please, most Sp*rs players would be in it by dent of playing for those wankers. What could be a bigger sin. It really is such irrelevant nonsense. Rather than figuring out how to speed up the game and solve the VAR issues, this is where they wish to spend their time. And this in the same week when the CEO of EUFA flouted his own rules to extend his term just so he could then announce, in a truculent, spoilt-brat sort of way, that he would not stand for election again. All the while earning £3 million a year. It’s a hard life for some. And you wonder why football is a mess?

We now have another week to recuperate before heading up into the wilds of the north to face Burnley. And then back to the Champions League. We have some momentum now. It’s just that with City being City there is no margin for error. But days like today will always bring a sense of enjoyment and satisfaction that no amount of financial doping can dilute. This team is a team to be proud of. We have some truly world class players (Mr. Rice, that’s you I’m thinking of in addition to Saka, Saliba and Odegaard). And a genuinely bright future ahead of us. But, seriously how often in the Premier League can you go away and score six goals against a team in the top 10? I’m pretty sure we’ve never done this before.  

So, keep that smile on your face, revel in the quality of play that you see with Arsenal, strap yourself in for the challenges ahead and know that we won’t often have to see Cedric again.

-LB7

That’s more like it. A nice resounding result after a dominant performance. This was fully deserved even if inevitably, there were some tricky moments. The first half domination and the last minute equalizer was so deflating. Yet, after their initial second half surge, we found our way back.

Maybe this was just the two best center-halfs in the EPL both showing they are human. The mix up between Saliba and Raya was mainly on Saliba, But, our second was more squarely on Van Dyke. And the latter was the game changer.

Tactically, Arteta was perfect today. The introduction of Jorghino was pivotal to the balance of the team. It allowed for both he and Rice to provide the control of the midfield. As impressive as Rice was – with some typically crunching tackles – it was the calmness and neatness of Jorghino that stood out today. If he had such an inch more speed he would have been truly world class. Instead, today we saw someone who has mastered the intricacies of the position and then instruct and help everyone around him. Sure, we don’t play him that often, but today, after being deeply skeptical of his original signing back last January, he fully demonstrated his fundamental contribution for this team. He steadied the midfield and provided the on-field guidance that allows Arteta to channel his philosophy and control onto the field. The best we’ve seen Jorghino. And the well deserved man of the match.

Rice though was so strong and physical. Who would you rather pay £100m for? Rice of MacAllister. It’s pretty clear we got the better deal. In that first half he closed down both Jones and, mainly, MacAllister, dispossessing them and also acting as the last man in defense when needed. And yet, he still propelled us forward. He reminds me of an improved version of Ramsey, or, as I’ve said many times, Vieira 2.0.

Have-that really should have scored that first goal prior to Saka cleaning up. We thoroughly deserved it. Have-that though worked so hard throughout the game. Sure, his first touch failed him in the second half when MacAllister brought him down. But it was Have-that that tracked back in the second half, did not jump in to give-up a penalty prior to Nunez skying the ball over. But that was Jesus-like in terms of the work rate and spirit. It’s a shame that he can’t find that scoring touch. But all game long he fought Konate and, essentially, got him sent off.  I was worried with him starting up front but, today, he delivered and earned respect.

That pass from Odergaard to set him up was classic. Deft, delicate and cushioned to exactly the right pace and position for Have-that. Odergaard was all over the pitch today, defending resolutely and providing a springboard for moving forward. Of course, rather than shoot as often as he should he still looks for the perfect pass. This is something we’ve seen from Arsenal in the last twenty years. From Pires through to Santi, Cesc, Hleb and Rosicky. It’s part of our DNA though it can be frustrating. He really deserved the assist for that one. And then again when, in the second half, he picked out Kiwior who headed perfectly into the midriff of Alisson.

Both wingers seemed to rediscover their groove today. In particular, Martinelli, was such an effective outlet. He skinned Konate within 10 minutes and setup a headed chance that Saka somehow managed to put wide. By having Zinny playing a more classic left-back role with Jorghino also working the left side, it meant that AA was isolated and peripheral for most of the game. And it allowed Martinelli to work that space behind AA and expose Konate. Unlike in previous matches though this felt like a return to the electric Martinelli we’d seen last year.

Saka was also back in his groove. Sure, he should have scored that header, but his overall contribution was so improved. I mean, even his corners were better than the Forest ones. And of course, he put himself in the right position to nab that all important opening goal. We had dominated them from the offset. And going into the half-time break only 1-0 up seemed a poor reward for all our work. You just knew they could not be as ineffective in the second half. You knew, just as when we played at Anfield, that Klopp would change things up and make them more competitive, more of a threat.

Instead, Saliba found a way to gift them their goal. I don’t believe they’d had a shot on target the entire first half and somehow we conspired to let them equalize. Most of the responsibility falls on Saliba for not winning the original header and then being indecisive. It will not surprise anyone that I also hold Raya slightly responsible as well. In the penalty area he has to scream clear instructions and take control. He should have told Saliba to kick it out or to come charging out. But he did neither. Of course, Saliba should have just kicked the ball out. That’s two defensive errors in two matches now for Saliba. He should have been physically stronger against Forest for their only goal and today he should have been more commanding. Today he seemed a little unsure with his distribution. A few times, especially in the first half, he seemed hesitant, dithered on the ball and take too many touches. He’s still our best defender but, like an young player, he will make mistakes and learn. I would not swap him for Van Dyke – who also demonstrated how easy it is for a world class players to make mistakes.

White somehow got booked for time wasting but beyond that he was excellent. There was a time at the start of the second half when Liverpool seemed to have discovered their rhythm when White was caught out of position. But aside from that he was strong and dominate against Diaz. But, as prominent as our set-ball coach is, why can’t that guy help with our throw-ins. It really does take White an infinite amount of time for him to throw the ball in. Part of this is that the players around him don’t provide him enough options. But, surely, some of this is that he never grew up as a full-back and just has not figured out what to do. Either way, you’d have thought one of our endless army of coaches would have been able to help him out by now.

As much as I want Ramsdale in goal – and clearly, that will never happen in this universe – I have to grudgingly have acknowledge again, that Raya’s quick distribution helps spring us into attack. Whether it be by throwing or kicking it out, he provides us with a potent counter-attack. Dam, I hate having to say nice things about Raya.

Gabriel scored their only goal and I don’t think Raya really had one save to make apart from a few long distance speculative shots. I could have played in goal today. As against Forest, we really should have kept a clean-sheet and Raya was largely untroubled. But hopefully, with such young defenders, we will just work our way through these mistakes.

We were so much in control today. Just as we were at Anfield. And in the F A Cup. And finally, we got what we deserved. And what Arteta deserved. He set up the midfield perfectly. His tactics nullified anything Liverpool tried. And, his substitutions helped change the game, unlike Liverpool. I would have left Martinelli on and taken off Have-that but Arteta knows best. And Trossard skinned Elliot before pulling off a Jesus-like finish to shoot between Alisson’s legs to put the game to rest. And it was also nice to see Nelson come on. It was his header out of the box from their corner that helped lead to the sending off of Konate.

This was a complete performance today. There can be no doubt who were the superior team and who deserved the points. After the Christmas disaster that’s three wins on the spin now. And whereas the other two were expected, even, demanded, this one was a statement victory. It reestablishes our title credentials.  It puts us in a competitive position for the rest of season – as long as we avoid last seasons meltdown. I still feel we’re a little short from a squad depth perspective.

Zinny came off because of his unreliable calf and Partey, well, remains thoroughly predictable and injured. We have Tommy coming back from the Asia cup and Elneny on the bench. But with the Champions League starting up again there are certain players we need to wrap in cotton wall. It was good to see ESR start against Forest. It was inevitable he would not start today but hopefully he begins to see more game time and can start more games. We’ll need his speed of thought and inventiveness when we come up against the brick-wall defenses of teams like Forest. I’ve never seen a team consistently defend so deep for so long before. They certainly deserve to get relegated with the style of play they’ve adopted. They make the Bolton of old seem adventurous.

A great day, a great result and a great atmosphere. There are many more challenges ahead of us but today we performed at the highest level. We need to enjoy days like this. I knew we could not afford to lose today but I had not expected to win nor to have been so convincing.

-LB7