Arsenal ultimately eased past Monaco with a 3-0 victory in a game where they gave an uneven performance but also showed the strength of their squad. Monaco were one place behind us at the start of the game. We began the game with four changes from Fulham on Sunday. Miles Lewis Skelly came in (to great effect) at left back. Jesùs, C100’s favourite player, led the attack with Saka and Martinelli wide.

Monaco began the game confidently  going forward but at the same time looked extraordinarily brittle in defence and Arsenal opened them up at will in the first period. Jesus was set up twice (once by a quite stunning through ball from Kiwior) and saw the goalkeeper block both efforts. Ødegaard curled a shot wide of the left post and then later in the half took the ball unopposed from the halfway line only to slide the ball wide of the right post. Martinelli missed a very decent chance while flagged offside (he wasn’t) but we went to half-time ahead because of a beautifully worked move in the 34th minute .

A flowing move across the pitch saw the ball switched left to Lewis Skelly. He turned out of a strong challenge and threaded the ball beautifully to Jesùs who slid an excellent ball across the 6-yard box to Saka who passed it in at the far post with his right foot. 

Arsenal 1 Monaco 0 – Saka, 34 

We went to the interval in the lead  on merit but the feeling in the ground was that we had been incredibly profligate in front of goal. We were also the beneficiaries of a piece of lenient officiating  from the Italian referee who declined to give Martinelli a second yellow for an ill-judged trip when he was already on a yellow just before half-time. A PGMOL referee would  almost certainly have punished the offence with a second yellow.

Half-time Arsenal 1 Monaco 0 

It was noticeable tonight that the two overriding observations about Arsenal this season  did not hold true. We were more creative on our  left side than our right, playing a lot more down the left especially in the second half when Saka was isolated in a small segment in the right side trying to take down long passes from Raya under pressure with little space to work in. 

We also had very little set piece activity (I can only recall two corners) and it was interesting that when we took the kicks Monaco kept several players upfield thus diluting our numbers in the box. Just before our second corner, Arteta called over Jorginho and it looked as if he wanted Arsenal to flood the box but Jorginho could not get the defenders to venture forward! 

The second half was more of a struggle and the first part was rather scrappy. Monaco missed a decent headed chance and Embolo then smashed a very presentable chance wide. Arteta then made some key changes at 63 minutes, bringing on Trossard, Jorginho (for Rice who was excellent in an understated way), Timber for the hugely promising MLS and eventually Jesùs was replaced by Havertz. To me the game changed from that moment. Havertz provided us with a skilful mobile platform upfront, dropping into midfield to great effect. Eventually he forced the vital second goal which we needed having soaked up quite a lot of pressure from the Monegasques .

Monaco over-elaborated in their own box putting the keeper under huge pressure. Majecki was closed down by Havertz at incredible speed and the ball fell to Saka who turned it home. 

Arsenal 2 Monaco 0 – Saka 78 

Saka returned the compliment with two minutes to go turning the ball in from the right for Havertz to finish at the near post (though UEFA have now declared it an O.G.).

Arsenal 3 Monaco 0 – Havertz 88

Saka is a remarkably efficient player. This was far from his peak performance but he still scored two goals and laid on an assist. He is an incredibly productive asset and a very precious part of this Arsenal team – as if we didn’t know this already!

So, what conclusions might we draw from the match and our progression through the group stage so far? This was a shadow defence although Saliba and Kiwior were solid and decisive apart from one piece of early hesitancy from the Pole. Partey was extremely erratic with his distribution – an odd trait in a full back who normally strives to look after the ball so well in midfield. I was impressed by Merino but Jesùs, Martinelli and even Ødegaard are showing signs  of fatal  under-confidence in front of goal. 

We looked a much better team with Havertz upfront and his flexibility and intelligence underscore Mike McDonald’s contention that he can co-exist with a top striker (who he believes should be Gyokeres) in a more potent attacking line-up. It is worth noting that a slick finish by Sturm Graz was provided yesterday  by Mika Biereth formerly of this parish who Edu sold  for £4million in the summer. He looks a much more dangerous striker than Jesùs. We have a super and flexible attacking unit but we need more killer instinct. Our first half profligacy could have cost us dear. However, as it now stands we have an excellent chance of finishing in the top 8. 

Fulham away, every travelling fans favourite fixture of the year. Sunshine, beers by the river, a stroll to the ground through Bishops’ Park, the singing echoing down from the crinkly tin roof of the Putney end. So I was there right? Wrong. Tickets sold out on 35 credits and I have 31. So it was the sofa, Sky Sports and Chris Sutton for me. It was a filthy afternoon, with Storm Daraagh throwing its final fling at the whole country. Wind and rain lashed around SW6.

The early team news showed that big Gabi and Calafiori were still not fit to play. Thomas Partey lined up at right back with Timber switching to the left. Zinchenko was not on the bench. Our defensive resources were getting thinner. Jorghino, Rice and Ødegaard formed the midfield, with Trossard, Havertz and Saka up front.

We started very well and confidently and dominated the first ten minutes. Then a through ball on the Fulham right bypassed Kiwior and Jimenez ran on and scored brilliantly from just inside the area. It was the first time Fulham had been in our half. 

An excellent ball from Trossard found the end of a superb run from Rice but he steered it just wide. All the verve and panache of the first 10 had vanished but instead we were playing far too slowly and predictably and after 35 minutes Leno had not had a save to make apart from dealing with corners. Then Saka got one on one with Bassey, jinked to his right and fired in a clever shot, well saved by our former glove butler. 

At half time it was 1-0 to Fulham, who had defended well and who had been robust physically (but I think fairly). Our only creative spark had been Saka. Ødegaard had been double and triple teamed, giving him no room for his usual creativity. 

We started the second half poorly. Trossard let the ball run though his legs (did he get a shout?) to Iwobi on the half way line. Nothing came of it but we were in danger of sleepwalking to a 2-0 deficit. But on 53 minutes we won a corner on our left hand side. Declan’s usual laser guided in swinging corner was whipped in to Havertz who guided it back across to Big Willy who smashed it in. After an anxious delay for VAR, he was ruled onside and the goal stood. The Putney end roared its approval. 

Set piece again!

Set piece again!

Set piece again Ole Ole!

On the hour Martinelli came on for Trossard. ESR and Traore were hooked for Fulham (neither had contributed anything of note). Martinelli won another corner. It reached Partey, five yards out and completely unmarked. He had to score. Dearest reader, he put it well wide, just as he did with a similar golden chance in mid week. The air turned blue in a Cambridgeshire living room.

On 73 minutes we made another two subs, Jesùs for Havertz (who, unusually had had a largely ineffective game) and Merino for Jorgi. I was calling for Nwaneri and on 78 minutes my wish was granted as he came on for Ødegaard, who had taken a couple of crunching tackles. Immediately Ethan made a lovely dancing run which ended with Saka being hacked down by Robinson, who was booked. 

Then came the creative moment. Arsenal played the ball around. It reached Martinelli on the left wing who conjured a beautiful cross to the back post where a clearly onside Saka cleverly headed it past Leno. Pandemonium in Cambridgeshire and in the Putney end. But wait! A VAR check was going on for Martinelli who was deemed just, marginally offside. To be fair, it looked the right call on replay. But that moment being taken away from us was the cause of the deep frustration of most of us straight after the game. There is nothing in football like a late winner. Think Henry against United, Vermaelen against Newcastle, Welbeck against Leicester, Nelson against Bournemouth. 

We tried to go again but couldn’t. So frustrating! The Partey miss, the marginal offside call! Unlike December ’23 we were comfortably the best team. Two thirds possession, 12 shots vs 2. But we couldn’t close the deal. 

So, having slept on it, what are my thoughts? Well, channeling my inner Mike McDonald, I have positives and areas for improvement.

As I say above, we dominated the game but just weren’t clinical enough in the six yard box. However we have scored 15 goals in our last four games. Saka was terrific. We just didn’t get the breaks today. But drastic surgery is not required.

But some tweaks are. Playing Partey at right back does not work in an attacking sense. The usual Saka- Odegaard- right back triangle is denuded by one and makes it much easier to double team them. Play Timber on the right and, if Calafiori or Zinchenko are not available, play Lewis Skelly on the left. 

A few weeks ago, I suggested that Jesùs is a busted flush and was roundly castigated in this forum. No, give him more time I was told. Well, he had over 20 minutes yesterday and was utterly ineffective. One out of 6 passes successfully completed. A late half chance where he hesitated instead of throwing his foot at the ball. He is no longer good enough for this team. We need another player in January as an alternative to Havertz as a rotational option, or a sub for days like today. At the same time we must find replacements for the chronically injured Tomiyasu and Zinchenko.

I wish we would shoot more from the edge of the box. That applies particularly to Martin, Rice and Havertz. 

So is that the title race blown? Stuff and nonsense. There are 23 games still to go. Liverpool will have their wobble. Does no one remember 1998? We are, fundamentally, playing well. 

One last thought. I saw some Gooners cheering on Spurs yesterday. Go and take a bath with carbolic soap. Mate. 

Monaco on Wednesday. Let’s thrash them and cement our place in the CL top eight. 

Arsenal welcomed, if that is the right word, the latest unfortunate to hold the poisoned chalice of being United manager, in his first major challenge since taking over from the hapless Ten Hag. United had a number of injuries, particularly in defence forcing them to have to play Maguire. Arsenal, as has become customary this season, also didn’t have a full squad with White out for a while and both Calafiori and Gabriel failed to make the squad as well, meaning Zinchenko and Kiwior started in the left sided defensive roles. Pre-match conversation revolved around how this could be the area United choose to target, with wingers like Garnacho and Diallo in particular licking their lips at the prospect of exposing the defensive frailties down the left.

The game started with Arsenal hoarding possession and United seemingly happy to press and harry seemingly more in a controlled way as opposed to with a view to genuinely winning the ball high up the pitch. We quickly had the ball in the back of the net but Havertz was clearly offside when laying the ball neatly back to Martinelli to slot home from 12 yards. In the 8^th minute we won the first of a large number of corners (13 in fact). Prefiguring the excellent delivery which would be a feature of our set pieces for the rest of the game, Rice arrowed in the corner from the left side of the Clock End and somehow Partey contrived to miss his header from around 4 feet, the ball cannoning off his shoulder and wide when it seemed easier to score. The fact that he was entirely unmarked at the near post ought to have been a warning for United. 

Around this time, United in general, and Onana in particular started time wasting pretty obviously. Oh how are the mighty fallen – United looking to run the clock down with 80 minutes still to play. The referee did what you would expect, engaging on frivolous conversations with United players, turning his back on the keeper so that he could claim not to have seen what was going on. Standard fare for PL referees, apparently the pinnacle of their profession. 

United continued to be happy simply to jockey Arsenal, mostly as a result of the fact that we were moving the ball around quickly and they couldn’t get terribly close to it. At the same time, most of this possession was in front of the United defence and it felt as though we were using the time to probe rather than go all out for victory. Given our history of conceding fast-break goals to United in particular, I was happy to see pragmatism on our part rather than gung-ho attack. On 21, we had another corner, this time delivered from the other side by Saka resulting in Onana rather oddly choosing to punch out rather than catch, perhaps a sign that he in particular and United in general were nervous at our prowess from set pieces. A pattern on the set pieces was beginning to form with a group of 6 Arsenal players gathering beyond the back post and then sprinting into the spaces allowed by the United zonal defending just as the ball was about to be delivered. On 23, another corner delivered by Saka fell to Zinchenko to hit, the resulting block falling to Martinelli who was a little unbalanced and screwed his shot wide. 

The game continued to follow the same pattern, with Arsenal controlling possession, but United successfully keeping them at arm’s length and half time came, offering an opportunity to Arteta to reinvigorate the team and perhaps change a few things tactically.

Half Time – Arsenal 0 Man United 0

Perhaps surprisingly, it was United who made a change for the second half, with Malacia who was being given the runaround by Saka and had picked up a booking in the first half, being replaced by skilful, nippy winger Diallo. It immediately became apparent that Arteta had instructed the team to move the ball quicker. 

On 47 minutes, Martinelli was put through one on one with Maguire but he seemed to lack confidence and rather than taking on the human obelisk, chose instead to shoot, succeeding only in having his shot blocked and falling harmlessly to Onana.

United’s time wasting reached its nadir in the 50^th minute when De Ligt was injured and rolling around off the pitch. For some reason, the referee chose to stop the game and this, erm, weakness, was pounced upon by Onana who went over, like some modern-day Florence Nightingale, to deliver such sweet succour as only a non-medically trained 6 foot 4 inch goalkeeper can. While the referee made pitiful attempts to try to get the keeper to restart, The Obelisk decided to come over and waste time by collecting another ball from beyond the dead ball line and throwing it onto the pitch, ensuring that the restart couldn’t take place, as two balls were in play.   Even this referee saw that he had to do something and the world’s only living Easter Island statue was given a yellow for his trouble.

This performance served to rouse Arsenal, both fans and players, and another corner ensued on 53 minutes as we cranked up the pressure. The six-man back post routine was in play again, with Rice delivering expertly to the near post this time, for Timber to get a touch and direct the ball into the net. Cue delirium in the North Bank. 

This inspired Amorim to make 3 further changes on 55 minutes with Rashford, Zirkzee and Yoro coming on for Garnacho, Mount and The Obelisk. United now had to try to attack. Curiously, the formerly languorous Onana found that if he really tried he could restart much more quickly. Well done, you!

By now the Gunners were firmly in charge and frankly the substitutions United made had no impact whatsoever. Arsenal continued to press and a raft of corners followed, putting pressure on the United defence and shaky keeper. 

On 65 minutes United had by far their best chance, in fact their first on target when a well delivered free kick from the right-hand side of the box by Fernandes was met with a good header by De Ligt, requiring an athletic full stretch diving save from Raya. From my vantage point at least 150 yards away in the North Bank, it looked for all the world destined to hit the back of the net. Super save.

Arteta saw that he needed to inject more energy and made some well-timed substitutions with the always available Martinelli coming off for Trossard and somewhat more surprisingly Merino for Zinchenko who had just been skinned by Diallo and picked up a yellow card. Pretty aggressive subs, with Timber now moving to left back and there was the required energy surge from team and fans. Ødegaard pressured Rashford into giving away yet another corner which Partey met at the back stick, nodding back to hit the well-formed rear end of William Saliba and into the net. VAR tried in vain to construct a reason not to give the goal but even Liverpool fan Jared Gillet couldn’t justify it and the goal stood. Gillet appeared to be looking to rule it out for offside. How can you be offside from a corner, from which the ball is played back from the dead ball line and by definition has to go backward?

By now, United’s defence was in tatters and the corners just kept coming, with Merino heading unchallenged from 8 yards just wide of the post. Amorim took off the hugely ineffective Hojlund for the hugely ineffective one-trick pony Antony. It all smacked of desperation and the easy start to the manager’s United career was well and truly over. Arsenal continued to get stronger and United to wilt. Huge credit must be given to the set piece coach for picking up on the United frailty. This was acknowledged by the crowd with shouts of “Set piece again, ole ole” ringing out as the game came to its inevitable conclusion.

With Chelsea unsurprisingly winning and Liverpool dropping points at Newcastle, this game really was a must win and despite the absences and the potential banana skin of the new manager bounce, Arsenal negotiated it admirably.