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Boom. Back down to earth with a mighty thud. What did we learn today? That Partey is Xhaka’s natural understudy. And that Jota should play for us.

Atkinson is a twat is another truism. We did not learn that today. How Partey picked up his first yellow is beyond me. Not that this explains the stupidity of the second tackle. That was a yellow all day long. So now he can go back to Ghana for a week. Not his most successful two weeks of football.

I love a Cigarette as much as the next man. But, really, as good as Liverpool are, if we swapped Jota and Cigarette we could also (possibly) have swapped the scores. Imagine if Jota had that chance in the second half? Do you think it would have ended up in the stands missing the target entirely? Me thinks not.

We start full of vim and vigor and had them on the back foot initially. But after 20 minutes we lost our way a little and then they started to come back into the game. But by half-time we’d had the better of the first half. Unfortunately, the 2^nd half was the reverse.

Overall, the better team won. Of course. But we knew they were the better team beforehand. Because they are. It was noticeable though that some of our players were off the pace. Tommy kept slipping over and making little mistakes. And he faded as the game went on. He was clearly not match fit. The same was true of Odergaard. He started by actually making tackles but then also faded as the game went on. And Saka was marginalized on the right. I figure he was also impacted by the less than energetic Tommy.

The only one who ran like an Energizer battery was Martinelli. He also had a few chances. But unlike Cigarette, he’s a baby with many years ahead of him. But he ran AA raged for that first ½ hour.

Their first goal game against the run of play and was a little fortunate as that mis-hit shot wrong-footed everyone. And once we went 1-0 down you knew that was it as we barely could create chances.

This could have been our easiest route into Europe next year. Of course, it could also have just set us up for yet another League Cup final disappointment. So now our Arse-it continues. So I remain disappointed but optimistic.  Directionally we’re still pointed upwards. This team is improving. If anything it amplifies Artetas’ achievement of winning the F A Cup in his first year with a much inferior team.  

Now onto the blockheads from Burnley. And without Partey. Hopefully we won’t need that defensive cover. Today Sambi was pretty solid and dependable. And we’ll need the creative juices of Odergaard and ESR to unlock the Burnley brick wall. And we’ll need Cigarette to take his chances. You can see why we’re in the market for a striker. My preference has always been for additional midfield over – especially as we sent AMN into the jaws of Darth Vader. But, maybe, I was wrong (I know, I can’t believe I wrote that; I’m obviously emotionally distressed). Maybe if we had a Jota type figure we could win marginal games like these. The fact that ESR is our highest goal-scorer across all competitions is pretty telling.

So as I wipe away my tears I console myself that I won’t have to suffer through losing in another final and that the team will now channel their own disappointment into focusing on the League. I mean, there’s nothing else now. No more cups to distract us and wear down our squad. If we could just find a way to keep 11 players on the pitch for the entire game that would help. Though not having Atkinson ref our games would also help. I mean, really. What a wanker. In both games we had a player sent off? How is that possible? Neither game was dirty? So what are the odds of this happening? And people wonder why AFC fans are a little paranoid. We’re paranoid for a reason. I know I am. Actually, for many reasons. But that’s another story.

-LB7

Maybe I’m childish. Maybe I’m mentally challenged. Maybe I’m immature. But this one felt like a victory. Fuck the moral victory in losing 2-1 to Man City. Ignore the fiasco against Forest. And even the Battle of Anfield resistance. This is up there with 3 points at WHL. No game tomorrow. Outstanding. Better than a draw. Better than 3 points.

Just think of all the gnashing of teeth and angst amongst their fans. They loose match day revenue (for now). They lose the chance to play against our depleted team. Their chance to crush us in retaliation to our demolition of them at our place. Oh, how pissed off they must be. Tee fucking hee. Best possible outcome this. And we don’t even have to lift a finger. We don’t have to sit on the edge of our seats and bite our nails. I can relax and enjoy my Sunday. Nope, care of the FA we’ve ruined their day. We’ve ruined their weekend. It does not get much better than that.

I have not checked – and I will – but I can only hope they are all complaining about the unfairness of it all. The injustice. And I’m sure the pundits will have a field day. Well, fuck them. Where were they when we were robbed against City? Exactly. Please let them all suffer. Please let them all wind themselves up into a hysterical state that leads to their heads exploding.

To watch them all degenerate into a mass of catatonic anger is priceless. To see them fume and decry their inability to play us when the odds were clearly in their favor. How sweet is that? There is nothing like watching other people suffer. And when it’s that lot down the road it’s even better. It’s better than better. It’s fucking brilliant. I’ve always said watching them suffer is more enjoyable than watching us soar. But that’s just because I’m a petty, bitter man (child). I can’t help myself. It’s just way too much fun.

I didn’t expect this outcome. I assumed the FA – as they usually do – would deny our request. So, finally we get one form the FA and we put one over on them. Sweet. And, if I was to try and be objective – and there’s not possible reason for that – I would also argue it was borderline stupid. For the good of the game the match should have been played. But then for the good of the game the Saudi’s should not have been allowed to buy Newcastle, Man City should have been deducted 21 points for financial dropping and the WC should have been awarded to any other country than Qatar. So, again, fuck the good of the game.

Our squad is depleted. But, we knew this would happen. The ACN was not news to us. Those 4 players were destined to not be with us. We should have been prepared. And then we lose a few players to injury. That’s the nature of the game and no-one else’s fault. It’s just the nature of the beast. And then we have a few cases of COVID. Not rampant. Not like how it was against Brentford at the start of the season which should have been postponed. And then there is the red card. That red card – given the impact in the game – turns out to be a blessing in disguise. Without the red card we might not have seen this game postponed. So thank you Xhaka. You are a star.

How the FA could agree to postpone though is baffling. Prior to the pandemic, this would never have happened. But here we are with only a few COVID infections and we get the game postponed. Perfect. Not only is it exactly what we needed but it’s exactly the wrong decision for the wrong reasons. The FA have been true to themselves. Incompetent and inconsistent. And for once it’s worked in our favor.

Tomorrow would have been a fiasco. Without a midfield we would have been battered. Without ESR and, possibly, Saka, we would have not outlet. And without Pepe we’d have had no….oh, right forget that. Sure, when the match is rescheduled Son will surely be available and he’ll likely score the winning goal in retribution. But we’ll have Partey back. We’ll have Xhaka back. And we’ll have a fit ESR and Saka. And, maybe, just maybe, we’ll have another midfield player and another striker.

And now we have a clear week until Liverpool return for the second leg. Time for us to recharge after that defensive master-class. And they will still be without Mane and Salah. Could not have planned it any better. And, after that, we have Burnley minus the monstrously ugly Wood in their line-up. And no Xhaka to concede a penalty.

That all folks. Just a short one today; that’s what she said (see earlier reference to being childish please). What a great day.

-LB7

A bonus review today. Once Xhaka was sent off I assumed the worst and decided I could not face having to write a review of this game. Yet here I am. Struggling to not laugh out loud at Liverpool. One would have to conclude that our African players were less missed than theirs. I’m sure if either Salah or Mane was there we’d have seen a different outcome. Never did I think I’d be grateful for the ACN.

You can set you clock by Xhaka being sent off. I have not checked but I’m sure Viera never received this many red cards. I remember in Vieras’ first season he picked up a bunch and refs targeted him. But Viera learned and changed his game. Poor Xhaka has yet to figure this out. Look, I don’t think that was a red card. He was not looking at Jota. There was no intent there. Sure, he was the last man but I just don’t see how Oliver – a decent ref in a cesspool of awful refs – can give a straight red for this. However, it’s fair to say that red cards are attracted to Xhaka like pooh is attracted to Sp*rs. This man is fated. When we drew up his contract we should have agreed to pay him by minutes played. I’d guess he looses 10% of his playing time each year. And, of course, his timing is a disaster given that the NLD is on Sunday. Just when we were short of a viable midfield we now lose him for three games.  

Yet somehow we managed to keep a clean sheet. With 10 men at Anfield for 70 minutes we managed to keep them at bay. Remarkable. It’s a miracle. And bodes well for the long-term viability of this team. Missing Tommy, ESR and Odegaard we started with a weak team. Not that I’m complaining that we lost Cedric. That was a blessing in disguise. And surely a record for a player picking up an injury. That first goal-kick within 30 seconds gave rise to his injury. Chambers – though slow as a three-legged horse (see how he got outrun by their useless Mane fill-in) – was an upgrade. And fortunately, on Sunday Son won’t be there to run past him.

Arteta should also take credit for his change in tactics. Moving to a back 3 certainly protected us. I actually can’t remember Ramsdale having a save to make until 80 minutes. They barely managed a shot on target. We were organized, structure and coordinated. It belies the fears of our own fans that this man does not know how to change strategy intra-game.

Rightly, the real credit must go to the players. I worry that they ran themselves into the ground and that they’ll pay the price on Sunday. White was phenomenal. He organized the backline. Gabriel – aside from his mimicking of a Tavares backpass – was solid. And Tierney helped stabilize the left side. In front of them everyone worked their socks off. On another day – and in a few more years – Saka would have put that one chance away. Martinelli was relentless in his running, Cigarette tracked back continuously and Sambi was much improved from Sunday. Though he still dwells on the ball too long and plays it too tight in the wrong areas. But, he will learn. He just needs time. As do most of this team. Which is why todays performance will be so valuable. For them to believe that they can withstand this type of onslaught.  This was a performance for the future. I still expect us to lose next Thursday. But after the disappointment of Sunday and the daylight robbery against Man City and then having yet another player sent off, I thought we were destined for more misery. Instead, our attitude and application were perfect. Sure, Liverpool were pretty dire but the spirit and determination were both surprising and refreshing. Now let’s see if we can take it into the NLD.

I’ve condition myself to expect the worse; know that the refs will penalize us in ways other teams aren’t. That all the important decisions will go against us. And I’ve also prepared for our inevitable implosion by focusing on the long-term; the evolution and development of this team. And it’s there to be seen. This team has been re-created now. But it’s still not quite there. We need a deeper squad. And therefore it’s highly unlikely that this will be our year. This is the year for us to suffer and then channel that experience into next year. For this year I don’t see how we manage with such a slim squad. I fear for this Sunday. And don’t see how we grab 4^th place. While we’ve made progress we’re just not there yet. I’m not even sure we’ll qualify for the NoHoppaCup next year. I know it’s strange to be so negative after todays performance. But it’s just the reality that we’re on such thin ice. And I’m also hesitant to let my emotions believe that we could get to the final and win another cup. This cup is special. I still bear the scars from our last disastrous appearance in the final against Birmingham. I still have nightmares about how Kosclieny and Szczeny conspired to self-destruct. And I also remember losing to Chelski in Wales. Another painful experience. If we do somehow get to the final maybe I should consider sitting this out as, just maybe, I’m the jinx on this competition. Though I do think I went to the final when we beat Sheffield Wednesday.

So bonus reading is over. It’s onto the main event on Sunday. It will be interesting to see what type of team we can field. And without Xhaka, I wonder who the ref can send off? Or give a last minute penalty against us. I just hope Saka is fit. He was immense today. A one man wrecking crew. I like to think that we’ll be able to at least replicate our dogged spirit from today. And, just maybe a goal or two. I do wonder who has been planning out our squad utilization. I just don’t get how we could not forsee both the pending ACN and a Xhaka red-card. Come on, how can you not a least have prepared for one of these events? It feels like this one is on Edu. Sorry mate.

In the meantime, relax and enjoy the next couple of days because Sunday is going to be a tough ride. With a full squad I would be quietly confident. But with a depleted squad against a team that has no players at the ACN it feels like we’re heading into the abyss. Let’s just hope they are even more devoid of creativity than Liverpool. Of course, we’ll have to contend with Kane flailing around looking for cheap penalties – maybe not having Xhaka could be a blessing in that respect. But watch out for his dirty tricks. England captain my arse.

-LB7

That was shit. Eddie was shit. And this performance was shit. 2022 has given us two games. Completely different games. But we’ve lost both. Not a great start to the year. And Liverpool up next. Then the NLD. I already hear next season calling.

It’s a shame I was unavailable to review the run of matches where we finally looked like a viable, competitive, exciting team. I had other commitments. Unfortunately I was not able to solve world peace, Ukraine nor the global warming but I gave it my best shot (unlike Eddie). And, as my timing sucks, I was unfortunate enough to have time to sit through todays debacle.

All the good work demonstrated against Man City evaporated today. This was a throwback performance. A throwback to when we were insipid, lacking identify and purpose. I don’t think their goalie had a single save to make (care of Eddie). Today we carried too many players with a non-existent midfield. The fact that Holding was controlling our distribution says it all.  

Both Sambi and Tavires were disappointing. Tavires seems to be completely different from the player we saw a couple of months ago. Now he’s lost any positional sense, lost his first touch and looks lost. Did I mentioned he was lost? It was good to replace him as he was exposing our left side of defense even it was a little drastic. But when you have 5 subs it makes sense to use them.

It’s just a shame we did not replace Eddie. I don’t see how anyone can make the case that we should retain him. He will score goals in the future – just not for us. He cost us a point at Everton and today, in a similar situation, he failed to convert on the one – simple – chance he had today. It was an open header that he could not even get on target. He could not even head it. He shouldered it. How is that the quality of a premier league striker? It’s not. This is why he did not play for Leeds and why he barely plays for us. And before that he had a one on one with their defender. A Championship defender. And he could not beat him either. Eddie is a fox in the box for sure. But he is not our fox in the box. If he would have placed that header into the net the game would have completely changed. One chance and one miss. That’s what he’s there for.

Beyond the groaning disappointment with Eddie you could see the cavernous void in midfield. Without both Partey and Xhaka we had no control of the game. Patino is clearly one for the future. Just not the present. Sambi, who was at fault for their goal, was largely anonymous. He seemed to be unprepared to assert himself on the game. Maybe it’s a result of not having played for 2+ months. But he was not available to receive the ball and could not progress the ball. Hence Holding was left carrying the ball too often.

Martinelli was his usual energetic self but there was no-one for him to link up with. Eddie was isolated (by choice) and Saka was pretty quiet. Odergaard was the one we needed to see more on the ball but there was little creativity and movement around him.

I’ve always been a fan of Maitland-Niles and I understand why he wanted to leave. But how could we let him leave before this game. Ok, maybe we could not know that Xhaka would test positive. But we have always known that in January we would be short in midfield. So, why not keep him for at least another day or so? How do we think we’ll fare in our next 3 games with a midfield of Sambi and Patino? How did we not plan and anticipate this?

All the good work of the last month is about to dissipate. Let’s hope Arsenal fans have good, long memories. I’m kidding. We know the answer. They’ll be bleating and screaming to burn the entire house down. Why? because that’s what our supporters (not sure that’s the accurate description of them) will do. Please put on your big-boy pants because the next few weeks are going to be painful. We are in the early phases of transforming this club. I do not doubt that Arteta is the right manager. But this squad is too thin. When all available, our first 11, as was demonstrated against Man City, is close to where we need to be. But, once you take out a few keys players then it exposes the weakness in our squad. Today Cedric was not our worst player. That says it all. Arteta needs a few more transfer windows to fill out his squad. We should have four world-class midfield players not two. We should have 3 world-class center forwards and we have just one. We are short at right back as well. And I also worry about our left-back position. Today Tavires was awful. Ever since that Liverpool game when he undermined all the good work of the team, he’s gone backwards – and quickly. It will be interesting to see what Arteta says about that substitution.

Today we were sloppy and careless with the ball. We also lack on-field leadership. How is this possible? We looked like the rudderless team of the recent past. All our recent positive progress evaporated. I don’t really get how that happens. But what I could see what lack of ownership on the pitch. No-one shouting and cajoling. No passion. The number of times Holding sat on the ball and he had no-one ahead of him demanding the ball or making runs.

In some ways this loss could help our fixture backlog and reduce further injuries. It’s embarrassing though. Forest weren’t bad but we were spineless and devoid of any really quality. Of course, Eddie should have given us the lead (at least once). But you make your own luck and today we made none. We seemed to lack any belief. And this was a team that put in it’s best appearance only a week ago. Maybe this is what we should expect from a young, inexperienced team. And maybe we have to be thinking about next year. Except that there is a window of opportunity for us in the League and the League Cup. With Man United as truly shit as we were today there is an open window for that 4^th place. But we can’t get anywhere close to that without Partey and Xhaka. And we knew we’d be without Partey. What is our plan then? What should be our expectations? I certainly did not consider 4^th place viable at the start of the season and it was not a realistic target. But now we have the opportunity should we look to take it or should we stick to the add a few young, talented but inexperienced players to the team each transfer window. We need a Aubameyang replacement now. Sure, we knew he’d be gone for the CAN but not for the balance of the season. Take any Newcastle money and then re-invest it. I just don’t know whether Edu/Arteta is thinking that short-term. This is their project and I don’t think they will rush it just because there’s an opening for 4^th place.

So strap yourself in for more disappointment. Hopefully not as lifeless and careless as today but nonetheless performances where we are exposed because of the lack of depth in our squad. Patino was clearly physically overwhelmed today. But he was not helped by those players around him. The lack of movement hampered him. He would have benefited from Cigarette playing but I understand why we have to protect him from playing in all these games.

I shudder to think what type of team we’ll have for the NLD. In that tense atmosphere with no viable midfield we will just have to suck up the pain and embarrassment of losing to those lucky basterds. After the excellent end of December period this is our coming down to earth. We are mean reverting. It’s just a shame it happens as we have a NLD. And we knew this would happen with Partey. I don’t know why we would not have wrapped Xhaka in a bubble this week.

So, in the short-term, we are well and truly fucked. We will have to hold on to the good memories and remember we are a young team in the early stages of rebuilding. That this is what you get – inconsistency. However, even as I try to rationalize this and (maybe) understand the context that did not stop me screaming and shouting during this game. Oh so often we gave the ball away needlessly, we lost every second tackle and had no idea what we were trying to do.

Leno was not at fault for anything today. He has to be pissed. His chances to get any playing time just disappeared. Even Cedric was not the worst one on the pitch. Even if we get Xhaka back I don’t have much confidence in Sambi. Maybe I’m being too harsh. But he seemed to hide today. And maybe he just needs more minutes to adapt. But this was Forest not Liverpool. So we’ll find out pretty soon. And I fear that outcome.

So, first review of the year is not what I’d hoped for.  After Norwich, Southampton. West Ham and Sunderland, I had expected more. We have to remember we aren’t as bad as we were today nor as good as we were against Man City. But I worry about the depth of the squad. That is what has the potential to derail this season now. And I don’t know how quickly, even with the window now open, we can address it. For sure though Eddie is not part of the solution. I’m now going to go off and search again for all that optimism I had over Christmas. It has to be here somewhere.

-LB7

How enjoyable was that? I can’t remember the last time I was as relaxed during the entire game. No stress. Right from the first few minutes we dominated. There was not one moment when I thought we’d lose. And once we scored the first – after missing 3 other chances – there was little doubt we’d win this one.

There was so much to enjoy about this game. The only dark cloud was the appearance of the joker Cedric. We forget that he was once part of a backline that might have David Luiz, Mustafa and Kolinsac. Sometimes we forget how far we’ve come. And his presence was a reminder of those dark days. He can’t defend. He can’t pass, he can’t tie his shoe-laces. In the few minutes he was on the pitch he backed-off as they attacked, giving them so much room to move in. Sure he might be a little rusty but class is permanent and, likewise, shit sticks. And boy, does he stink. Let’s hope Tomi recovers quickly and AMN is used as the replacement. With Cedric on, our defense was more exposed down our right. He would watch them push forward and would just continue to drop back without applying any pressure. Let’s just pray for Tomi.

OK, now that negativity is out of the way let’s review everything else because there was so much that was so positive. The angst of Aubameyang has been replaced by the performance of Martinelli. How timely is that. What could have lingered as a soap story has instead turned into the arrival of yet another youngster. After his delicious goal against West Ham and his overall contributions in attack and defense, today he took the this opportunity to demonstrate he needs to be part of the starting 11.  The first goal was that of a striker in the right place and the right time. The second goal was cool and calmly taken, again reminiscent of TH14 (without the attitude – though he’s young yet). And that pass from Xhaka! It was reminiscent of the pass he produced in the Euros for Switzerland against Italy when he set up some fat Swiss roll to score.

On the other side Saka terrorized their defense. Yes, he should have scored in the first 3 minutes. He is a gamer changer though. And we saw that against West Ham as well. He’s had a slow start to the season but finally we’re seeing the player we saw last year. Today he wandered through their defense and across the pitch. Between him and Odegaard they should have scored more. But, that third goal was an example of how dangerous he is as he drifts in from the right. Odergaard had enough time and space to dictate the game today. His passing was simple and penetrative. It’s just a shame he resists shooting to set up others. In that first half he cut right through Leeds.

Both fullbacks were barely challenged today – aside from the one foul on Tomi. Both, along with our two center-backs, easily repelled any attacks today. All had plenty of time to pick out passes. And noticeably Gabriel continued to instruct Partey where he needed to be to receive the ball. I’m still not convinced by Partey. He was better today but he was playing against pubescent teenager whos’ balls have only just dropped. He was also quite solid against West Ham. There were times – as against West Ham – when he moved the ball quickly – one touch – but too often he’s ponderous. Speak of ponderous, Xhaka was able, like Odegaard and Partey, to play through the lines today. I was amazed that he avoided a yellow card for his foul on the half way line actually, it was not even called a foul. And then Mariner booked their guy for the identical foul on Tomi. At least Mariner was not as poor as Anthony Taylor was on Wednesday. At least Taylors’ incompetence was reasonably even-handed even if he did help reduce them to 11 men. I understood the first yellow but how he could give us a penalty and then a yellow card for that tackle is beyond me.

Which leads us to Cigarette. Another game where he wasted too many opportunities in front of goal.  Against stronger teams – like West Ham – he can’t be so profligate and thankfully (penalty miss aside) he wasn’t. But still, his overall link up play suits this team. He has a smart football brain, takes up good positions, and as with the first goal against West Ham, has that creative knack that Aubameyang lacks. With Cigarette, even with his wastefulness, this team is better balanced.

Being able to bring on ESR is turning into our magic sub. He deserves to play. But he’ll have to bide his time. He is developing into a Freddie like finisher now. It’s only been a year since he’s come into the team and his development has been remarkable. The goal mid-week was beautifully taken and today, after an Ozil-like, intelligent and delicate pass from Odergaard, his positioning and finishing were everything that Cigarette should dream about.

After the debacle of Everton to win three on the spin, in some a dominant manner, is both unexpected and uplifting. I’ve never felt we could grab the 4^th spot. I still don’t. It’s a long season. But to inhabit this spot, if only temporarily, is a testament to the growth of this team. And, after doubting Arteta after that Everton result, he has again been able to learn the necessary lessons. Though I’d still like to see more of AMN and I wonder where Sambi was today. Whatever now happens this year Arteta is safe. It makes me wonder where those loud, ignorant, moronic AFC fans, who were calling for yet another change, are now. Are they vocal enough now to speak up and admit they are tossers that come from a family of wankers? (If my kids are reading this – if they’ve learned to read – to be clear, I’m not referring to our family). We have just three actual grown-ups in this team – Xhaka, Partey and Cigarette. The rest are just out of diapers. And, again, today they showed they could be the nucleus of our team for a decade. And lead us back to the promised land. Leads us back to 4^th place! I kid. But, today, I’m optimistic, happy and relaxed. It’s a strange feeling. One I’ve not had in many a year. I’ll enjoy it for the moment because this is not reality. But I’ll take it for today.

A word on Leeds – they were genuinely dreadful (ok, that’s slightly more than one word). This must have been the easiest game that Ramsdale has played for us. I can’t remember a single save on note. He was able to practice his distribution today. And enjoy the weather. But Leeds. Oh my. I don’t get how they can have such a depleted team and yet not recognize that they needed to adjust their tactics. The had not cover for their defense. And when they did break forward they over committed and exposed themselves to our continued counter-attack. They played like an average Championship team. Which, we know, they are not. But with the available players, they used their usual tactics and refused to adapt to the circumstances. So much for having a respected and admired manager. Credit to the Leeds fans though. I doubt our fans would be so tolerant to see their team loose so many games on the trot. I heard no boo-ing no moaning. Nothing. Maybe, because they’re northerners, they are just happy to be away from the coal mines; happy to have electricity; happy to have money for pints; happy to be in the EPL and they remember their despair from the last 20 years so they have learned to appreciate what they have. Just maybe, they have accepted the reality of who they are and the team they support. That’s unusual but you have to admire that. I have not even mentioned the rain, cold and general lack of any education, culture or sophistication. Lucky I’m not a snob.

And a word on the Premier League. Talking about wankers. How did they not plan for COVID? Sure last March was different. No-one had experienced that (well, not those who are under 100 years of age). But after seeing what happened last year, how can the best financed, most commercially successful league in the world be so unprepared for this wave? How can they let, one-by-one, so many games get postponed – and at the last minute – with no thought for the travelling fans. At some point, as we saw with the Super League – the fans have to rise up to protect their game. How can the EPL not enforce protocols. How can they not have a plan to react to this circumstance? How are they going to make these games up. Thankfully, AFC has been spared (though we weren’t last year) and others will moan about the fixture pile-up. How have they not put teams in bubbles to protect the players. Why have they not enforced vaccines. Unless the EPL is being run by demented adherents to DT and his cronies who believe COVID is not real (unless it infects them and then they get the best medicine and doctors available to save them), why are players allowed to opt-out? It’s not free will. It’s stupidity. It should be a requirement of employment. They are employed to play football. You don’t need a degree, nor an education. But you need to be able to play. When you’re injured you go to doctors for the medicine. When you’re sick you go to doctors, so they should all go now and get vaxed. If not, then they can’t play. And they should not be paid.

So, onto the stupid League Cup/Milk Cup/Carabo Cup/Tesco Cup/Sainsbury Cup/Pooh Cup. If we field an even younger team we’ll have to have prams on the pitch. I figure this time we’ll field the old-timers – Holding, Chambers – and even Cedric. And maybe we’ll even see our most expensive signing make an appearance. He’ll be well suited to drift in and out of a game against 1^st division opposition. It would be insane for the ACN to be played. But, given the money involved and the ineptitude of the leaders of our great game, this could be the last chance to see our great Pepe in action for a month or so. A great time to say goodbye to him.

-LB7

At least we got some points. I half expected us to find a way to lose this game after taking the lead. Third time lucky I suppose. As grateful as I am for this victory it’s hard to look past the last two losses. The sharp eyed amongst you will have noticed the absence of any postings for these last two games. I only managed the grab the first half of the Man united game but unfortunately I caught all of the Everton game. That loss ranks up there with our Man City drubbing earlier in the season. This was a game we should have won but a combination of lack of backbone, leadership and awful substitutions caused us to regress into failed versions of Arsenal that are all too familiar over the last 5+ years. It felt like a reversal of all the good work in the last 3 months. And, most painfully, it shone a light on Arteta’s tactics, strategy and leadership. All things I had finally thought we’d put to bed.

The remedy for such concentrated pain was to shut myself off from football for 5 days. Bury my head into the sand someone and ignore all the websites and other social media to avoid being subjected to the extreme voices who most likely wanted to burn down the entire Arteta edifice.

And then Southampton come to town. Thankfully. We started too passively. Gabriel committing an unnecessary foul and getting a yellow card after 3 minutes. To be followed by careless passing by Partey and Arteta. Southampton had greater intensity and pressed us into easy giveaways. We had to absorb some pressure as they controlled the ball but just could not find any cutting edge. They had various free kicks awarded by a pretty dumb and young looking referee who seemed to give them all the calls. There was little fluency to our game. The passing along the back-line was ponderous as we tried to work the ball out of the back. As was the case for most of the game Partey, though unmarked, is not in a position to receive the ball and thus limits the choices for our center-backs. Neither Martinelli or Saka were involved in the game.  

Then Ramsdale came to the rescue – again. He must have had more touches than any outfield player. After receiving the ball from Gabriel he was able to evade their forward and set up a counter-attack down our right. And for once from White to Tommy onwards it was quick, direct, one-touch passing that lead to Saka setting up Cigarette. And that took the air out of Southampton. To be followed soon by our second from Odegaard. By this stage the game was essentially done. But we took the opportunity to find some rhythm and cohesion in our passing. Xhaka was a stabilizing presence while Odegaard found space between the lines. Most of our creativity came down the right with Tommi and Saka interlinking. Annoyingly Party still tried to shoot and missed by his usual mile. It makes you wonder what he’s like in practice if this is what he does in games.

Partey has been with us 18 months now. I loved him when he first came. But now I have my doubts. Sure he’s suffered from injuries and was disrupted – like everyone – by COVID. For a player who’s so senior he make dumb-arse mistakes. And, worryingly, they tend to be the same ones. He gets caught in possession too often. He does not sense when he’s being swarmed by the opposition. Rather than get rid of the ball he’ll try and dribble out it – a very high risk strategy. His shooting is a joke. And it’s not clear that he’s a vocal leader on the pitch. He is clearly a good player but I’m not sure he’s good enough. I’m not sure he’s evolving and developing. I’m not sure his game is improving. Against wanky teams like Southampton, Norwich or Watford he might shine. Against Everton, when we needed a backbone, he was absent. Those are the games where he needs to sine, to dominate and assert himself. And we’ve yet to see that. And until he does, he will be a B+ player at best. And, as one of the older players, we need more than that from him. We’ll lose him soon to the ACN but when he comes back he better not be injured. And then he has to prove his worth. Because for this team to progress we need to have a backbone player in midfield. And if he can’t do it then we better find someone else.

When the ACN does start up I hope to see more of AMN. He must be getting bored on the bench. Hopefully we won’t just play against Sunderland. He needs minutes. And before we have Man City at home. Now he needs to play ahead of Elneny.

Ramsdale seems like the real leader in this team now. A vocal presence. An Adams-like figure. Everyone else is too quiet. In that first 20 minutes when we had no shape he was the only player directing and instructing those around him. Against a better team we would have suffered. And I fear a little for the West ham game. They will apply more pressure and restrict the available spaces for us.

So, no Aubameyang again today. It’s not clear we missed him. He’s obviously not the smartest tool in the shed. With the ACN round the corner we’ve only got him a game or two now. This stupidity combined with his inability to find the net make you wonder what his future holds. Both him and Eddie had chances to bail us out against Everton. The fact he came on after Eddie is telling. As was his miss with the last touch of the game. Let’s hope he finds his scoring touch at the ACN.  Cigarette will surely see a contract extension in his future. He provides better link up play and can score. Of course, he had a few more chances and should have done better on his breakaway. He was set up with an excellent through pass (I can’t remember who from) but he lacks pace to get away from defenders and then the confidence to shoot. There was another instance when he dribbled into the box and should have shot. He’s not perfect but at least he is involved in the game. And Eddie does not seem to be the answer. Both of these could sign -prenuptial agreements next month. So, in addition to a Partey replacement we’ll need another striker. When we do enter the market I suspect we’ll have a little extra cash from when we sell Pepe. I’m amazed he made it on the pitch today. And, for a guy who’s been warming the bench for a month or so, he displayed little appetite to convince anyone he’s in the wrong place. He did not dart around, he did not take on players and, as ever, his body language sucked. He looks like a defeated person. He reminds me of Gervinho. Pepe is not suited to the EPL. Sell him off to Italy or Spain. Get some money back and invest in another striker. Pepe has no future with us. And he knows it.

The overhang from that Everton game colours the points today. And will do for another game or so. West Ham will be a real test. And I fear for the outcome. Those casual giveaways will be punished by a well-drilled, organized and hard working team. We need to regain some semblance of believe and control of games. And put our chances away. At least they won’t sit back in two banks of 4 – they will attack us and threaten us from corners. Thankfully Arteta removed Gabriel today to protect him. His arial strength will be crucial. West Ham basically score from corners. That’s it. But with Gabriel and Ramsdale we have a chance.

Currently we look and feel like we’ll be top of the mid-table teams. Maybe landing in 7^th or 8^th. To go beyond that we need to figure out our balance in midfield .We feel too vulnerable and get overrun too easily. We’ve sorted the defense and goal-keeper. Now Tierney is back in, he needs a run of game to redevelop his rhythm. But this backline is one for this decade. Add in Saka, ESR and Odergaard and maybe Martinelli and we’re half way to a winning team. Let’s see now how Arteta sets us up for Wednesday. This one will be tough.

-LB7

A little late on this one. Like Aubameyang arriving at the far post. But yesterday, aside from the match, was a Bacon Day. And, as we all know, that takes precedence over everything apart from an Arsenal game.

Did anyone notice that subtle difference in quality between Liverpool and Newcastle? It’s hard to discern at first I know. But suffice it to say, to the trained eye, there was a subtle drop in quality. Fortunately, as a student of the game, I was able to observe it and, for you, my dear reader, I will share my expertise with you. At no cost. Because that’s the kind of person I am. So, to move, because I’m sure you’re dying to hear the explanation. In laymen’s terms it basically comes down to this. Newcastle are shit. Truly shit. Not quite Sp*rs shit. I mean, that’s an entirely different species of shit. But shit nonetheless. I remember the 7-3 game at the Emirates when it thought they were crap then. But, they’ve managed to recruit even worse players and move down yet another level. Poor Howe. He will get millions to see them relegated. Maybe someone will give Bruce some credit for marshaling this crap team such that they were not relegated under his reign. So there you have it, scientifically proven. Newcastle are shit. And that’s the real difference between them and Liverpool.

But you can only beat what’s in front of you. And, unlike the past where we would find ways to foil ourselves, yesterday we earned our three points. Not that we were terrific. We did not fire on all cylinders. We were far from perfect. But that’s ok. Obviously, there will be concern over young Saka. After a miserable start to the season – by his high standards – we’ve began to see last year’s version emerge. And, in this game, we saw the full, original version. He was the difference maker. He tore Ritchie to shreds, he was our main creative influence and the scored of the first, all important goal. This came about because he was able to float around and create from anywhere on the front line. Without his energy, creativity and scoring I’m not sure we’d have won yesterday. And now we have to worry about the magnitude of his injury. I fear he won’t be in the team versus United for Thursday. But let’s hope we don’t lose him for too many games. I’m not sure I could bear seeing Pepe return to this team.

I’m not convinced that Partey has found his fitness yet either. Fortunately against a shit team he was not pushed too far but, he just seems slightly off thee pace. His distribution is uneven and his pace is reduced. Having said that, he’s one of the few players we have that will pass through the lines and play vertically. Odergaard also attempted to but he was largely ineffective. He works hard but his first touch failed him a couple of times. It made sense though that he replaced Cigarette; this was the type of game where his creativity should have helped – It just didn’t. If I was generous, which we all know I am more than generous – manganous even – then I’d note that this was his first full game for a month or two and he had to find his rhythm.

Tavares still made the team sheet. I think we all expected to see Tierney back. I suspect we’re trying to work Tesco boy back in slowly because of all his injuries and the condensed fixture period we’re about to enter. That or it was an inspired decision by Arteta to allow Tavares to find his confidence again after last weeks disaster. Tavares was dominant down the left. And, as the game wore on he learned not to shoot on site (and miss) but to lay the ball off. His hard work in the first half should have resulted in a goal but more on that later. Overall, it was great to see him run up and down the touchline. I thought he’d run out of steam at some point but, until the end he was continuing to defend as well. The way he handled Wilson’s run behind our lines from the JoJo Shelvey pass was excellent. Considering the money he cost and his youth, he will be a real threat to Tierneys place in the team. And that’s the competition we need to see. I suspect he won’t be in the team for Thursday. He deserves a rest now.

White and Gabriel were largely unthreatened. Both were solid. And white had a much easier time distributing the ball than at Anfield. And behind them we had Ramsdale who pulled off one remarkable save. Without that save the outcome could have been much more painful. I’m not sure Leno could have gotten to that. He really has been the signing of the season for us. A game changer. Even against a shit team.

And now there’s Aubameyang. He will be having nightmares over that miss. Sure, Smith Rowe could have done better with his header. But how do you miss that. Other players maybe. But this is food and drink to Aubmeyang. He’s a natural goal scorer. Luckily it was not too costly. But, as in previous games, I hope he’s saving up his scoring exploits for the next game. Because apart from this desperate miss, he rarely contributed. Part of that, I felt, was due to Odergaard not being able to release him. Odergaard tends to take a lot of touches and slow us down ever so slightly. And for a man of pace like Aubameyang, that can make all the difference.

Sambi was solid today and arguably the more creative of our two midfield players. One pass in the first half to Saka was Brady-esque. He can still get caught on the ball outside our own area and he also faded towards the end. You could see him finding it hard to track back on their breakaways. Against a less shitty team that could have been exposed. But, again, with youth on his side, he will be a mainstay of this team later on.

Tomi had a quieter and less threatening time of it today. He really has nailed down that right back position. Maybe he was the signing of the season when it’s normalized for the amount paid.

Arteta selected the right team today. And though we were slow to start, our tactics we good and the team grew into the game. We seemed to find more energy in the second half. Obviously the change of Saka was critical. We might have feared for the reappearance of Pepe but this game needed the pace and directness of Martinelli. And man was that the right decision. Within a minute or two he scored a sumptuous goal. Henry-esque if you will. Intelligently and beautifully taken. The type of finish that we’d expect to see from Aubameyang. It makes you realize the talent we have on the bench. And that put the game away and secured the three points.

My only complaint was the replacement of Partey. Why bring on Elneny and not AMN. AMN is our future and Elneny will be gone within 6 months. Why waste minutes on Elneny and not leet AMN have the experience? AMN has barely seen any time after starting against Palace. He needs to play. He deserves to play. Whereas Elneny is a known entity. You know what you get – and don’t get from him. He’s solid, predictable and safe. Borderline boring. But this was a chance to give AMN minutes and see what he could do (again). Maybe we’re saving him for Old Trafford. But this was one that Arteta got wrong. Not the end of the world mind you. A small mistakes in the bigger scheme of things. And in the bigger scheme of things he’s getting most things right.

So we’re up to 5^th. Competing for the top 4. That’s surprising and not what I expected. I can’t believe we’ll hold this position. I still maintain we are not a top 4 team. Nor top 5. We finish in the top 10. Maybe 7^th. At best 6^th. Maybe I’m a natural pessimist with this team. But, as much as the team has evolved and developed, as much as the trajectory has improved, we’re still not there yet. We still have a few more pieces to add. We need Partey to re-discover himself. We need another midfield player. We need more creativity. More than Odergaard can provide. Unless, that is, he adapts more quickly. As good as we’ve become. And as many points as we’ve not accumulated, we’re just not quite there yet. I never thought this year would be that year. Arteta needs a little more time. But with Saka showing signs of being Artetas Sterling and White showing signs of being Arteta’s John Stone, we’re in a good place. A not so good place is Old Trafford. Let’s see if we can get there while it’s still Carrick’s team. While we never expected much from Anfield, this is a game where we should have higher expectations. Especially if we actually think we’re a top 5 team. But then you know how I feel about that.

-LB7

At least we only play at Anfield once a year. To get a result there we need to play at our best to stand any chance. And today there were too many mistakes. Youth has benefits. But not at Anfield.

As the game wore on their stranglehold tightened. The pressure builds and there is no margin of error. Unfortunately, we made too many. But bear in mind they originate with the pressure applied and not in a vacuum. It was a direct result of our inability to control the game Maybe it’s a by-product of playing two defensive mid-fielders. Neither of whom really inspired confidence today. Sambi was under pressure with few outlets. Tavares experienced that game of two halfs. In the first he was able to keep track of Salah – who, was again, impressive – but he must have drunk something at half-time. Because his distribution was devastating in the second half. We saw glimpses of this from Sambi as well. The temptation to always pass their way out of tight spaces. And, with experience, (and hindsight) there are times when it’s better to loft the ball upfield. Liverpool are quite adept as using that long ball. Unfortunately, with us that long ball seems to end up with their backline. So I can see why Tavares would like to retain the ball. But there needs to be some situational awareness. For a few weeks now there have been indications that he could apply pressure to Tesco Tierney. Today was a coming back down to earth.

But Tavares was not the only one. As mentioned, Sambi too often would overplay the ball outside of our area. We’ve seen in previous games him lose the ball leading to goals again (Man City I think). He’s still make the same mistake. And after their second goal Tavares still lost the ball a few times. One of his errant passes nearly lead directly to another goal. On the others side Tomi also had trouble with his passing – and marking. Again, a direct result of the constant pressure Liverpool applied. There really was no real release valve.

That first half though was not so bad. We had small periods where we had some control even if we could not create much. Saka and ESR were too isolated, and Cigarette was close marked by Thiago. So as we tried to play out from the back White was caught on the ball and forced to smack it long. Partey was pretty quiet; I do wonder whether he was fully fit. Overall, we would often lose the ball after just a few passes.

Ramsdale again had to perform heroics but eventually we caved in. Taking off Sambi was the right call but even AMN was careless with the ball. And by that I mean when you’re swarmed by 3 of their players you have to move the ball more quickly. You can’t dribble out of that situation.  

The team selection was right as we the substitutions. It’s the concentration levels that waned. And then the mistakes proliferated. Again, that was for a reason. If you give up that much possession then all that chasing will eventually wear you down.

Gabriel was again impressive. He alongside Ramsdale come out of this this thrashing with credit. But everyone else should be extracting valuable lessons. That second goal was crushing though. We had created few chances and so then sloppily hand them a gift just as we were weathering the storm took the air out of the team. We made had one clear chance with Aubameyang where Allison was able to save with his feet. Beyond that he was hardly troubled.

Saka had the beating of their left back today but you’d not know it because we was scared to take him on. When he runs directly at the full back he’s so much more threatening. Today – especially in the first half – he too frequently either cut inside or passed inside. He needed to be more aggressive in taking on the defender. And without Robinson there he should have been.

So what did we learn today? I’m not sure too much. It just re-enforced that we are a work in progress. I thought the score was unflattering we did not deserve this. But maybe this can help us realize that we’re not as good as the last 10 games indicate nor as poor as this result indicates. We have a world-class goalkeeper who is also fearless. Gabriel and White will be our backbone. We have too much youth in the team for now but it will allow them to grow. They will make the types of mistakes we saw today. Though I think Tavares did not seem to learn much after his first cataclysmic mistake.  I like that AMN was our first substitution even if his presence did not help stabilize our midfield.

Against mid-table or lower teams we have the chance to grab those points. But against the tippy-top teams, we are just not there yet. We get out-pressed and out hustled. Maybe our fitness levels are where they need to be. I think it’s more that we require too much time on the ball. That we need to move the ball quicker. And when we press it never felt the same way. They were able to play round our press much more easily – they seemed to operate in more space. It just felt that our play was much higher risk – hence the number of turnovers in our third of the pitch. I lost count of the number of chances they created from our giveaways or when we lost possession. In the first half we had a number of breakaways whereas in the second half, post those mistakes, and until we were already out of the game, we hardly had any.

A word on the Ox. He was swarming all over us today. Very physical and very committed. That’s one of the best and most consistent performances I’ve seen from him. High energy and high pressing. I’m not sure we had anyone with the same passion as him today – aside from Arteta himself facing up to Klopp. Though that encounter just seemed to fire up Liverpool at our expense.

I refuse to get too distraught over today even though it was a tough game to watch. We are still progressing even if it was not too evident today. And that progress can only be measured over a longer-time horizon. Today was always going to be tough. And early on we held firm. But at this level you can’t make the kind of sloppy passes that we did.

I do wonder whether the style of play we’re developing suits the players we have though. Today was a case in point. Passing it out the back under immense pressure when our two defensive midfielders – and Sambi in particular – are prone to give the ball away and our wing-backs are too isolated seems like a kamikaze strategy. Of course, when it worked it looks enterprising but it’s very high risk. And I don’t know if we have the right players for this. But then, if you don’t try this then you’ll never find out.

In the meantime, the manager merry-go-round continues. Next up will be Oli. And just before we play them. It looks like that change will happen today. Losing at Watford is pretty hilarious. And then Conte has now landed along with Howe. One will burn them out within 24 months and the other likely lead them into relegation. Let’s see which one is which.

And next up is COVID Eddie. Though we no longer have must-win games, this will at least be a chance to reestablish some momentum and correct the flaws from today. And don’t be surprised if you see at left-back Tesco Tierney

-LB7

And I’m back. A microscopic mid-season break denied the world the views on the past few games. After the Villa and Leicester performances this match was always going to look the easiest on paper. And in some ways it was. But it was just a little tense at the end there.

Now is not the time for another international break. As desperate as I was for one after the initial run of three losses and as much as I enjoyed the lack of stress during the last break, this team has begun to find itself – finally. By playing Cigarette in the false 9 and removing Pepe, there is more coherency to our play. Not that today was our finest performance. The first 20 minutes against Leicester was the gold standard. But we dominated and without Aubameyang the margin would have been more reflective of the gulf in the two teams.

So, before mauling our captain, I would note that Aubameyang’s work rate has noticeably increased in the last month. He works much harder and defends more. Having him pick up yellow cards for aggressive defending from the front is not a bad problem to have. And some of his goals this year (i.e. against Sp*rs) have been pivotal. But, oh my, today was a disaster. Everything he touched turned into pooh. Every touch he took, every move he made, I was watching him. (see the Police reference? – look that up any youngsters out there). From the first mis-control after the good work by Cigarette that caused to ball to ricochet to Saka for the first off-side goal, to the penalty miss and finally the redundant touch for what would have been our second goal from Odergaard. Today was just not his day. In a funny way, if he can get this game out of the way when we still claim the three points that’s not a bad thing. But it was just painful – and predictable to watch; a truly bad day at the office.

On the other hand, our defense, again was – minus one cock-up between White and Ramsdale – rock solid. Gabriel – as against Leicester – was immense. He does not get out muscled and the partnership with White is developing. Their understanding and position organization is improving. And, behind them today, we did not need any heroics from Ramsdale. Both full-backs provide solidity and attacking options. Tavaries was missing the final pass today but has such huge potential and the advantage of genuine pace.   

Clearly this is a game that last year – if not at the start of the season – we could easily have drawn. And if Watford had come out of the shell earlier and had been more adventurous, they could have. But the fact is, they did not. Another victory with a team that had yet more changes to the lineup. Today, for this humble observer, the man who shone like a beacon right from the first minute was Ainsley Maitland-Niles; the man with too many names. Maybe the quality of the opposition enabled him to shine because he had just a split-second more on the ball. But his defensive work, his physical presence was impressive. He seemed to win every duel. And if when he seemed beaten he would recover. Whether it was on the half-way line or when they tried to break through our lines. He was always there. And, if was his high press interception that set up that first disallowed goal. AMN provided grit and balance to the mid-field today in a way he’s not demonstrate before – well, at least not as consistently for 90 minutes. There were not causal giveaways, no over-committing to attack but sound positional awareness and a dominate performance. Again, maybe against Liverpool he could get out-played and out-powered. But today he was our best player.

Alongside him Sambi contributed to our performance. Not stellar like AMN but more than good enough. There were a few instances where he got caught on the ball on the edge of our area – as we saw against Crystal Palace – so let’s hope he can learn that lesson (finally). But, again, for a 23 year old new to this league who we thought would play as a fill-time for some games, he has more than exceeded expectations. And credit to Arteta. With Partey again being unavailable he could easily have selected Elneny. But instead he went for the untried pairing of Sambi and AMN. And boy did it work.

Saka picked apart Rose all day. And Rose, who is too fat and too languid to play at this level, was kind enough to donate us a penalty and generally too lazy to track back. But then Saka challenged and beat him all day long. This was much closer to the type of performances he made last year. Hopefully he’d finding his way back to us.

ESR is slowly turning into our little Pires. Sneaking in to claim vital goals. Though the team started brightly today ESR was quite in those early stages but then found his way into the game. Generally, when we i.e. Cigarette and others, had a chance to shoot we instead decided to make that extra pass. So, apart from the importance of the goal, it was nice to see him take a first time shot. Generally, we need to be braver. There is a tendency to pass the responsibility off to others. But here, one of our youngest players took the initiative themselves and was rewarded. And hopefully they will give him the confidence to inspire him to also be just a little bit more brave.

So in a two week period the manager-go-round has gone into overdrive. None of this makes sense. And all I can hope is that all these teams get relegated. And let’s not forget how close some people think we came to replicating this type of brain-dead, retarded and futile manager change at Arsenal. Remember how sections of our own fans reacted after our first three games – and the defeats. Not too dissimilar to the reaction last season prior to our home victory against Chelsea. People have no patience, no sense of the “long-game” and not strategy. They make snap judgments based on an emotional response without playing out the impact and consequence of any decision. These same idiots will surely raise their voices again about Arteta when we inevitably miss the top 4 again this year. And that’s because these morons move the goal-posts when it suits them. This league is more competitive than ever with more teams spending more money. But, as the last 8 games have demonstrated, we’ve found a backbone for our team and an identity. Of course, I’m sure, against Liverpool at Anfield we will get overrun and torn apart. But that’s one game. I care about our trajectory and development. And you’d have to be a blind man – or Mike Dean – not to see it.

We are a young team. We lack a vocal leader on the field. There was a time today in the last 5 minutes where we started to sit back too far; we ceded too much space to them. Someone on the field should have identified and corrected that. Against better teams, we’ll pay a price. But this is a team that’s learning. And at Anfield, given the quality of the opposition, I expect the worse. But that’s OK. As we can see, every team has shit games – just look down the road to our local idiots. We just don’t want to have too many of them.

So we beat Villa and they fire Smith after they again lost. How can you do that? He brought them up again to the EPL. He got them out of relegation the season before last and last year they nearly got into the NoHopaCup. Ok, they are having a tough spot but they are not in the relegation zone. But now they deserve to be. Who would take over that team now? How can you not have faith in a proven manager when all the prior ones were disasters. I seem to remember our friend Remi Garde having a short run out as well.

Norwich, another one we slayed recently kicked out their own Nazi. Why? They sold their best player to Brighton and barely re-invested. I had thought they had a sound business model. Get into the EPL, take the TV money, don’t spend it, get relegated with the balloon payments and then get promoted again. A few yo-yo seasons like that were providing them with deep financial pockets. How did they expect Farke to succeed? Why would they fire him. They are doomed to relegation (again). And we all knew it.

Then there’s the Saudi team up north. I feel sorry for Bruce. He managed against a back-drop of hatred and with one of the most despised owners not behind him but hiding in the shadows. There was minimal investment and they have a below average team. Maybe now they’ll bring in the nice-guy Howe. But that won’t last. Next summer they’ll be in the Championship looking for a new manager.

And then finally it’s the arrogant, conceited lot down the road. That lot who’ve not won anything in more than 10 years – and even that was a stupid cup. That think way above their station; consider themselves elite when they are bang average. Who wasted a chance to get more than 100m for their best player and then re-invest it. The team that fired Potch after getting them to the CL finals. Only to replace him with Darth Vader. And then they fire him before a cup final? And replace him – eventually – with Nuno. What’s not to like about Nuno. What did they think they were hiring? This all started when they fired Harry. The man who had got them into the CL in the first place. For the first time ever. But, oh now. They are too good for that. They need better. So they start off again the manager-go-round. Guess how many managers they’d have since Ley became chairman? Eleven! How the fuck can you run a team when you churn through that many managers? And there’s no accountability for this. Not that I’m complaining. It just exasperates me when I hear Sp*rs fans (I know, why do I even talk to such people let alone listen) pontificate about their team and their aspirations. It’s so far delivered from any sense of reality it’s stunning.

And I’ve not even touched on Watfords merry-go-round.

Which is all to say – there by the grace of God go Arsenal. There are so many warning signs as to what happens if you don’t stick with your philosophy and strategy. Of course, they are fine examples, like ditching Rioch for an unknown AW. But when you look at the fiasco at Man U and then consider West Ham with the same manager, surely a footballing person would extract the obvious lesson. Anyway, let’s hope this year they find a way to relegate all four of these teams.

So as we enter into yet another unnecessary international break, let’s prey that Partey is not released for international duty. We need him to be fit. And, ideally, we need him at Anfield. But at least we need him for the long run ahead of us.

After todays performance I wonder whether that changes Edu view of the upcoming transfer market. With Partey and Elneny at the AFC and Xhaka still knackered, can we rely on AMND and Sambi? I doubt it. But long-term, it’s not about this season. It’s about the overall team shape we’re building. We are susceptible for a few key injuries still but AMN deserves time. I just doubt he’ll be given it.

It’s good to be fifth though. It’s higher than I think we’ll eventually finish. But it’s also good to change the perception and narrative on this team. Some of our fans will of course claim this is the least we should be aiming for. But, remember, they are the brainless, petulant, childish ones, Tune them out. I clearly don’t. We continue to move in the right direct. This is part of the re-build and it’s progressing. It can’t be too rushed. And we will inevitably have set-backs. As we nearly had today. But, I for one, am a believer. I saw his (Artetas’) face, now I’m a believer. Not a trace of doubt in my mind. I’m in love. I’m a believer, I could not leave him if I tried (a Monkees reference for you youngsters).

Wow, this was much longer than I expected. That’s what happens when you send me away on a mini mid-season break. It’s good to be back. I feel better now.

-LB7

Daylight robbery. Te He. Undeserved and much appreciated. It’s games like this that make me pine for the international break. If only the game could have been shortened to 20 minutes.

The obvious observations will all revolve around comparisons between The_Man_From_Sengal_He_Played_For_Arsenal versus Arteta. One who’s been in their role for 3 months versus 22 months. So I’m sure everyone will pile onto how Arteta is not that man. How after every bright, uplifting performance we then hit the breaks with a performance such as these. That’s a cheap, easy comparison. And this site is nothing if not cheap and easy. So here goes. Come back in a year. Then we can assess the job Arteta has done. Today he was let down by his backbone. Partey and White undid Arteta. With a little help from Tomi. Three players that are key to this team – it’s backbone – each making mistakes. But he was also let down by his selection and balance. Or lack of balance. As soon as you see Saka on the left. And also Odergaard with ESR on the right then I knew this would be an unbalanced performance.

At least it changed at half-time. But it had to. Saka is wasted on the left. And Pep is a waste. I know he set up the Aubameyang goal but aside from that he provided no protection for Tomi. He remains such a luxury. One we can’t afford to carry. Not that he was the key to the result. That was Artetas system and tactics. Another game where he would have learned what works and does not. Our_Man_From_Senegal has managed three teams (at least) over a 5 year period. He has experience in this role. Arteta does not. And again, today, it showed. Partey was too exposed. Sambi should have started. Pepe should be playing in France somewhere – anywhere. Having said that we started well. And Aubameyang’s goal was that of a quintessential striker. A natural born poacher. In fact, this was one of the most energetic performance I’ve seen from him this year. He worked hard through – it’s just a shame we lacked creativity and starved him of the ball.

And them then on it was down into the abyss. Again, this was driven by the imbalance in the team. And Palace are not too shabby. They played a decent game and worked their way back into the match. Too often we were overwhelmed in mid-field. It felt like a role reversal from the NLD when we overwhelmed that rotten lot from up the road because they only have their #5  (the ugly Danish Bacon guy)  providing defensive cover. We switched to their tactics – no wonder it did not work out.

The change at half-time was necessary but it should have been Pepe consigned to the bench though I’m sure the continuous fouling of Saka contributed. Dean was his usual inconsistent self, booking Saka after a single foul but letting McThug from Palace commit 4 foul before belatedly booking him for smashing into Saka’s leg.

It’s a shame that Sambi turned the ball over – more experience for him I suppose – to set up their goal. And White should have been tighter. And Partey paid homage to The_Man_From_Senegal by being caught on the ball – I remember that happening quite frequently in his playing days – to set up their other goal. For none of these would I blame Ramsdale. Again, his distribution and presence was re-assuring and comforting.

I am a little worried about Tierney though. He seems to have evolved into backwards and sideways Tierney. It’s as though someone has removed a few forward gears. Maybe it’s because he prefers ESR in front of him. But he’s lost his mojo. Though his cracking shot off the bar that narrowly missed Cigarette was breathtaking. Speaking of which, what a great substitution. Only with him did we become more creative. We had a focal point. Of course it helped that The_Man_From_Senegal retreated to a five man defense and ceded their pressing game. I’m convinced without that tactical blunder they would have grabbed all three points. So as people argue for a change in manager they should remember that. But again, these managers are learning on the job – some more than others.

We escaped by the skin off our teeth (not that I’m sure that’s a real saying – I don’t think teeth have any skin. But I digress). In prior seasons we’d have lost this game. Gaining a point from being 2-1 down in overtime is an achievement. But this was Palace. That tells you were we are as a team. Hopefully Villa will be a step forward after this step backwards.

We have to sort out our tactics and selection. It’s clear that the lack of Xhaka is impeding this team. Partey needs a partner. You can’t Partey by yourself. And that should be Sambi. Put Saka back on the right wing and put ESR on the left hand side. Then put some energy and urgency back into this team. We had it for ½ have in the NLD and for 20 minutes today (and maybe the last 10 as well).

We are a mid-table team with a team built at great expense. Some are young – Sambi, White – so mistakes will be made. And we will end the season as a mid-table team. Maybe 8^th or 7^th. It’s a long season. I can see us drawing or losing our next two games. We lack consistency. But I don’t see that changing too soon. So strap yourself in. Remember to thank the gods for the daylight robbery today. At least you can’t consider us an unlucky team.  And remember the relief you felt when Cigarette extinguished The_Man_from_Senegal.

-LB7