Month: May 2024

TOTL again. If only for one more short stay. Three point were mandatory today. But this was a pretty grim game. We were pretty shit. Thankfully United have perfected playing like shit all season long.

The team picked itself again. Within the first two minutes we were swarming all over them and created some half chances. But this was a strange game indeed. United really are pretty useless. Their team is unrecognizable as a United team. They really are a team decimated by injuries and with the Most Boring Manager of all time.

This was a strangely subdued performance by Arsenal. Arguably our worst showing since Fulham. But all that matters is that we won. Somehow, we created, care of Casemiro playing at walking pace a goal through White then Have-that setting up Trossard. It’s quite amazing how many important goals Trossard has scored for us. I’m sure I said this last week as well. He rarely scores the last goal in a 5-0 victory. Which if course is why his unfortunate miss against Villa will likely cost us the league title.

When White played that pass to Have-that I just waited for the offside flag to go up. Out of shot though Casemiro was taking a lunchtime stroll out of their penalty area. And then Have-that played the perfect pass to set up Trossard. It’s fair to say most of our team had a quiet game today. But, here again, Have-that created yet another goal for us. It’s remarkable how important he has become for this team.

White though had one of his quietest games. At times he was being turned inside out by Garnacho. And often losing his man. Saka provided little protection today and seemed pretty uninvolved. There were so many sloppy passes that I lost count. A prime example was Partey – the master of the bad pass – losing the ball on the edge of our area only for Hojlund to then slip over.

We seemed to degenerate down to the level of United today and that’s something we’ve not done for a while. They really were pretty useless. But we were so average that, at times, we even made Amrabat look like a half decent player. It was such a frustrating performance. And surprising given the importance of this game. We lacked energy, fluency and any rhythm. There was just no sparkle.

United structurally were like a poor man’s Porto. They flooded the midfield and starved Odegaard of the ball. Rice was barely involved and Partey was completely ineffective. So, while the backline passed the ball around, no-one was able to get free and create space to receive the ball.

Amongst the mediocrity on the pitch one man shone like a beacon. Saliba was head and shoulders the best player on the field. As White and others made mistakes Saliba was there to clean up and regain control. On the infrequent occasions when their players broker through he would marshal them away from goal and prevent any real threat. He exuded calmness and pose. He is surely the best center half in the premier league.

Raya had a few important saves to make but most of the time he just held the ball at his feet and waiting for players to find some space. As Wenger would say, today we played with the handbrake on. Maybe it was the importance of the occasion and our history at Old Trafford. Given their pathetic line-up I thought we’d slaughter them today rather than struggle to hold onto a 1-0 win. Not that they actually threatened us. There was a sloppiness to our game and lack of decisiveness on the ball. We seemed happy to comfortably pass the ball sideways. We seemed unsure how to play against a team that is completely dysfunctional.

I’d been looking forward to this game. After the hard work of playing Sp*rs away and Chelsea, I’d always been confident of this fixture. Especially as they were missing Fernandez, Rashford and many others. I did not expect such a dull and tedious game. A game lacking in any real quality. After our goal we seemed content to just manage the game out.  To our credit we were able to do this. But this was not a performance you’d expect from a team looking to win the league. Yet, we got the three points. And that’s what counts at this time of the season.

So, we go into the last match against Everton still in contention. Marginally. With City due to play those wankers on Tuesday, we really can’t expect to actually still be TOTL come Sunday. Even if those wankers could muster a performance I’m not holding my breath. Big Ange will play his predictable high line and provide ample opportunities for City to score multiple times. While I certainly expected Fulham to have put up more of a fight I have no expectations for Tuesday.

I won’t be watching the game and will merely check on the result an hour after the game has concluded. City will pull that lot apart and make them look as weak and vunerable as they are. Richarlson will predictably miss a few open chances and Son will be invisible. As their imbecile fans will actually rejoice in losing to City. As incapable of they are of witnessing their team winning any trophies all they can do is pray that we can’t lift the title. Of course, we gave up any realistic expectation of that after the Villa loss. But that lot can’t even muster a team with a backbone. Remember how they were 10 games into the season. All smug and full of themselves. And now they’ll be lucky to get into the NoHoppa Cup. They will lose to City and then rejoice in us not being denied the title. That’s the extent of their aspirations.

At least against Everton we should see the return of our vibrant, attacking, open football. None of the dreary action that we witnessed today. I don’t mind too much. It was, as they say, a professional performance against a bang up average team. But, oh was it boring. Come Sunday, though we can enjoy our final game of a wonderful season where we have seen this team evolve and excel. The progress we have made is self-evident. It would be nice to see ESR get a few minutes at the end of the game. It would be nice to see Partey on the bench. Unfortunately, I’m losing patience with him. Fearful of his next lazy pass or being caught on the ball. I would have loved to have seen Jorginho come on much earlier today. Everton should be a more entertaining game. One where we can celebrate the achievement of this team. And look forward to a bright future.

-LB7

TOTL still. Not quite as exciting or passionate as last weekend but an important win nonetheless. While we purred early in the first half this turned into more of a grind than the scoreline would suggest. We dominated and created so many chances in the first half that it started to feel like one of those games where we would never score.

Now we’re only playing once a week this team picks itself. Now is not the time of year to take any chances or change up a system that is running so smoothly. Right from the off we dominated with our right-hand side again creating numerous opportunities. They had one opportunity care of one of Gabriel’s’ mental mistake. Today was not his best game. Alongside him though he had the silky Saliba to clean up any mess. Throughout this game Saliba was at his imperious best.

Odegaard and Rice dominated this game. Odegaard roams around the field acting as a catalyst for our creativity. It was his pass that set up Have-that for our first goal. Yes, it was a penalty – just. If it was called against us I’d have been very upset but would have accepted it. We needed this given the number of other chances we’d spurned. I don’t get why VAR has to take so long though. I’ve said this so many times, but if it’s remit is to identifiy clear and obvious errors it should not take 3+ minutes. I mean, if it’s clear and obvious it should not take that long. It’s in that first word – clear. If its not clear then VAR should return control to the referee within a minute or so.

Of course, VAR was involved again in the denying them a goal late on. But again, the call on the field was right and any potential comeback was snuffed out. But I wonder why VAR did not look at that challenge on Saka by Christie early in the first half.

Rice looked to be running on fumes at times but was still able to muster our third goal. The only player to be able, so late in the game, to make a lung busting run from deep by-passing sleeping Bournemouth players. Sure, he should have scored in the first half as well but we can forgive him that (just). In time his composure and finishing will improve. His presence this year has been pivotal in the improvement of this team. And our presence this year has been pivotal in his improvement. Operating mainly on the left he’s not quite struck up a relationship with Odegaard but his physicality has strengthened our team. As has been said many times, we really should be paying WHU additional fees. This just looks like daylight robbery. Of all the other players signed for fees in excess of £100m, I can’t think of any that compare. Grealish, Enzo, Mudryk and Caicedo combined aren’t worth the price paid for Rice.

Trossard is at the other end of the scale. A sneak, relatively cheap acquisition in the January 23 window, he is now our third top scorer. That second goal finally provided us with some breathing room. His goals always seem to be important ones not the late game tap-ins when the result is already settled. You can see why he’s displaced Martinelli now. And if you had any doubt, looked at that opportunity Martinelli had when he did come on. Last year he’d have run away and converted that chance. This year he was barely able to make it into the box before falling over. I wonder if there’s something going on with him. Something does not look quite right. Maybe he’s carrying an injury but he does not seem entirely fit and certainly he’s lost some of his acceleration. Even his defending was a little suspect getting nutmegged and not protecting Tomi. Not that Tomi needed too much help today. Another solid performance from him – he even wandered inside and linked up play quite nicely. He’s firmly kept Zinny rooted to the bench now,

Have-that was critical today. He was involved in so many good things. His confidence was so high. He had a few nice chances and, of course, made the run that created that first goal. His overall link up play was stellar and his movement was excellent. And he still found time to track back and help the defense. He really has elevated his game to another level in the last few months. He really is a threat now. And he has firmly kept Jesus rooted to the bench now. It’s a pleasure watching his movement and his football intelligence matches that of Odegaard. Imagine where Chelski could have been if they retained both Have-that and Jorghino.

Another clean sheet today. Sure, there was a little luck involved. On another day their disallowed goal could have been given.  But Raya really only had one important save to make today. It’s not like they battered our defense even if they did exert more control in the second half – though it would be hard to have been starved of the ball as much as they were in the first half.

Saka, after being attacked by Christie, helped create down our right. But it did seem that he was a little off his best today. It was refreshing to see him replaced today – resting him for the United game. He took his penalty wonderfully calmly but seemed to be operating on fumes at times.

There were periods in the first half when we just tore through them. We could (and should) have been 3-0 up before the penalty changed the game. But just remember back to last year when we’d have to find miraculous ways to win these types of games. This year there is so much less drama. It’s a sign of the maturity of this team. We might not end up winning the league but there can be no doubt how smooth and entertaining this team is.

You only have to look to our own touchline. Last year Arteta would be passionately running up and down transmitting his energy and angst to the team. Now you see a much more considered and calmer Arteta. Still orchestrating the tactics and strategy but now he’s  more confident and his team is more able to constantly follow his direction.

So another victory. That’s four on the run after the Villa fiasco. Scoring 13 goals just the two against the wankers last week. Three clean sheets out of four games. In the meantime, those wankers have lost three in a row and Liverpool have only won 2 of their last seven league games. And to think that last year we were accused of choking. The silence about these two teams is deafening.

Just two more games now. As confident as you can be that we’ll win these games it’s still a long shot against the City Machine. Inevitably they will demolish the abject wankers scoring multiple times from dead-balls situations as their Australian guru will claim he’s not worried about set-pieces. Which means are hopes rest on Fulham and West Ham. We need either West London or East London to help us because no-one else in North London can help us now.

In the meantime, we remain TOTL for another week. Enjoy it while it lasts. This will go down to the final match of the season stretching out the agony. But, like last season, it will just add fuel to our desire for next season. But for today, a nice three points will do nicely thank you.

-LB7