And so it was to the Fortuna Arena in Prague – also apparently known as the Eden Arena – for our fourth Champions League fixture of the season against Slavia Praha.
Arsenal had received an allocation of 1,024 tickets for this fixture which sold out to those Platinum, Gold and Travel Club members with 50+ points. All tickets were to be collected in Prague and fans had to take, quote, “their physical passports, please note that copies or other forms of ID will not be accepted and tickets cannot be collected by third parties.” So they didn’t make it easy for the travelling Gooners but there they were, as usual, belting out their support for a team riding high in third place on goal difference in the league table at the start of play, which was early at 5.45pm UK time.
The team showed four changes from the weekend, to protect players in our latest injury crisis, bearing in mind a trip away to Sunderland this weekend before the next Interlull which, for once, might come as a welcome relief and a chance to get some attacking players fit again. Declan Rice was included which was possibly a surprise given his vulnerability on a yellow card with Bayern up next.
We lined up as:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hinkapié; Rice, Nørgaard, Nwaneri; Saka, Merino, Trossard.
Slavia came into this game off the back of a 2-0 win against Banik Ostrava at the weekend and they sit joint top of their league with Spartak on 30 points from 14 matches.
For their part, Arsenal had now won seven games in a row without conceding, matching George Graham’s team in 1987, who went the same number of matches without allowing the opposition to score, whilst winning. Were we to beat Slavia Prague and keep another clean sheet, it would equal the club record of successive wins without conceding – set in 1903, 122 years ago. No pressure then fellas !
First half
Arsenal pushed forwards from the kick off and an early move saw Gabriel fire over the bar – with foot rather than head though. Slavia’s centre forward, Chorý, was a 6’6” giant who had clearly been eating everyone else’s porridge, and he led their early intense and aggressive challenging which made it difficult for Arsenal to establish their normal control and get their passing going. Gabriel was worryingly back in the thick of it after 18 minutes but what looked like a concussion check turned out to be a boxing style repair to a bang in the face as a dab of Vaseline was applied to his right cheek.
Midway through a tricky half, the Arsenal won a series of five corners – Set Piece FC, we’re loving it – the last of which was hand-balled over the bar by the defender, Provod. The referee, having initially awarded another corner, was called to the screen by VAR and corrected his call to a penalty. The spot kick was dispatched to the right corner by Bukayo Saka and the travelling Gooners celebrated inaudibly in the corner, drowned out by Czech protests.
Slavia Prague 0 – 1 Arsenal
The Slavia players seemed to have bravely marked out little Leo Trossard for a bit of treatment in retribution while wasting no opportunity to throw themselves on the floor at the merest touch. Big Daddy Bear Chorý tried to win a penalty by doing exactly that but was sent on his way by the Azerbaijani official, Mr Aliyar Agheyev, who was having a very decent game. Our 7th and 8th corners passed to no avail and Gabriel cleared a rare Slavia attack for a corner to the Czechs, but they’re no Set Piece FC and the attack fizzled out as a shot was blasted high into the crowd.
Half time arrived with Arsenal now passing the ball around very nicely and in complete control. Having been rushed out of their usual game in the opening stages they quietly took control as the constant pressure won that series of corners. Slavia had no idea how to get back into the game and disappeared as a threat.
Half time: Slavia Prague 0 – 1 Arsenal
One minute into the second half, Declan Rice found Trossard on the left. His curling cross was met in mid air by Mikel Merino who side footed past a helpless Czech keeper. Trossard’s contract upgrade was met with some confusion in the summer. Personally, I prefer him as an impact sub to a starter but fair play to the man, that assist was his 13th goal contribution in his last 13 matches.
Slavia Prague 0 – 2 Arsenal
Two minutes later the giant Chorý, who fortunately had crap feet for a big man, limped off. Despite a raft of substitutions, his and Slavia’s race was run. A highly animated Mikel Arteta sent Ebere Eze on for a quiet Ethan Nwaneri. David Raya, presumably bored with no shot to save yet again, engaged in a bit of dilly dallying which almost presented the ball to a Slavia forward right in front of goal.
Declan Rice sent in yet another great free kick which was headed home by super striker Mikel Merino on 68 minutes. The travelling Gooners, now audible above the despondent Praha crowd sang “You’ve only come to see the Arsenal.”
Slavia Prague 0 – 3 Arsenal
The referee now seemed to take pity on Slavia and handed soft yellow cards to Lewis-Skelly and Nørgaard who was astonished to find himself booked having been fouled twice in a double assault. He then gave Prague a penalty for a high foot by Ben White – which made no contact – or maybe the hand ball, actually by a Slavia player. The Dutch VAR, however, called the referee to the screen again, the decision was overturned and our precious defensive record remained intact.
As the end of added time approached, David Raya had to save a deflected shot – his first of the night – on 94’50” ! The man is nicking a living playing behind our defence.
Full time: Slavia Prague 0 – 3 Arsenal
Another statement performance by the Arsenal which saw us go top of the Champions League. Slavia had not lost in that stadium since December 2024. The team matched a record of 8 wins without conceding a single goal – a record that has stood for 122 years since 1903. The whole team work like Trojans game after game and the hunger to win is clear. I love the way our defenders celebrate a block tackle like a goal scored at the other end.
The squad showed its strength winning 3-0 away from home without Jesús, Havertz, Ødegaard, Madueke, Martinelli and Gyökeres. Piero Hinkapié came in and looked strong, Christian Nørgaard stepped into midfield flawlessly, Ethan Nwaneri looked good early on but seemed to fade, and ** drum roll ** Max Dowman became the youngest player ever to play in the Champions League at 15 years and 308 days of age, and it took two of them to mark him. And it is simply impossible not to wonder at the sheer inexhaustible energy of Declan Rice. Did you know we got him for half price?
Are there really Arsenal fans out there who seriously want Mikel Arteta replaced ?
Bayern Munich and Inter Milan are next. Neither of them will be looking forward to that !
If I were Bayern Munich or Inter Milan (not to suggest that I actually am either one),’ and looking at Arsenal’s run of clean sheets, I would probably be soiling a sheet ahead of time.
Nice one, Trev. Your headline alone is worth the price of admission.
‘Save’ is a grand word to use for Raya’s catch at the end. The ball was looping towards him gently enough for him to have taken it on his chest and done a couple of keepy-ups. What was really impressive is that at the game time you note, 94’50”, Gabriel and Norgaard are still busting a gut to slide in with a block and prevent the Slavia Prague player from getting his shot off.
Thanks Trev, very quick and accurate to boot.
Personally, I would have been annoyed if that penalty was
given against us but we deserved the lead as I thought we were
running the game by then. Excellent work by Declan, Leo
and Mikel for the second killed the game nicely just after
the break,
To be honest I wasn’t surprised to see Declan start as Zubi was
suspended and MA has previous for playing people when they
are a booking away from a ban. Norgaard looked better for
the previous game against Brighton and on we go in good heart
despite all the injuries,
Bayern did well to win at PSG, they and Inter have the only
100% records I think. We should have several players back
by the time we play them.
OM@3: Norgaard did look better than against Brighton. Players usually do as they get more playing time (Sterling last season being the exception that proves the rule). But you’ve put your finger on an important point. Arteta has to manage everyone’s minutes carefully, so that when players are rotated into the line-up, they both fit smoothly into whatever role is being asked of them and also that they are up to speed from the off.
Excellent and speedy report, Trev. After the initial onslaught from Slavia, they turned out to be something of a sheep in wolf’s clothing, especially when the circus freak centre forward had to be subbed off. I was just disappointed that he wasn’t replaced by a bearded lady.
Excellent performances all round, although Nwaneri was pretty quiet again. Dowman looked regally good for his 20 minute cameo. It looks like Gyokeres is out at least until Tottnumb, along with Odegaard, Martinelli, Havertz and Madueke. No doubt the respective international managers will try to pick them for the next round of interlull games. Personally I’d like to see Saka rested for England, given that we have qualified for the World Cup already. I’d also like to see the delivery of nuclear fusion and world peace.
Trev
A terrific, speedy and of course witty report. This side are incredibly dependable and showed their maturity here in what could have been a trickier game than it proved to be. It was also a nice place to visit. Prague is a beautiful city, soared by Hitler but not by Arteta who cranked up the red machine ominously.
A very good team performance and credit to Odegaard. Before the matc( they panned along the line of players and caught Norgaard looking around like a kid on Christmas morning. He’d made the Champions League and he played excellently. Nwaneri was a little bit subdued but Dowman was as confident as ever and Timber was extraordinary again .
These are amazing times
Thanks, Trev, for your swift report on a professionally executed match despite the absence of so many key players. You just have to admire how Merino has adapted to the role of centre forward and as observed above, that goal 45 seconds into the second half was crucial to this victory and also a thing of beauty. He really has ice in his veins in the box.
I agree with the positive observations above on Nørgaard and Dowman and the qualified ones on Nwaneri, thought Saka took a step towards his norm and would add a word of praise for Trossard who is in his best form at the moment and for Rice managing to avoid a yellow card from a ref whose use of that sanction was not always rational (cf Nørgaard).
TTG has made the observation a couple of times now and it’s worth repeating that this is an extraordinary team and we should be revelling in and praising their achievements. Such things are not the norm and are sadly all too transient.
Great report Trev. What a win.
In other news, the new Mayor of New York City is a Gooner!
https://bsky.app/profile/theathleticfc.bsky.social/post/3m4uoul53i22h
Thanks for the link C100, Gooners everywhere! And was that our very own
Lonestar on the thread below?
Very much to like about Trev’s report, another clean sheet, three points, equal top of the table, a Merino brace, a brilliant penalty, VAR (Whey!), travelling Gooners, Big Gabi, Declan the incredible, Norgaard in the groove and Max’s mum and dad.
I wouldn’t have been too happy had that penalty been given against us but hey, after a season in which we had eight surgeries and lost the League by ten points – most of which a consequence of abysmal refereeing, perhaps we deserve the smallest smidgeon of good fortune.
And Timber, we lost the League by two points when the best full back on the planet was banjaxed for the whole season after 48 minutes of play. Makes you think.
@9 a very interesting result.
C100@9: Looks as if he has actually kicked a football before. Needs to work on his knee slide, though, not that you would want to be doing that on an NYC artificial pitch.
https://x.com/ZohranKMamdani/status/1965575739253862772
Got to love the man just for this except from The Athletic piece that underlies C100’s link above:
[Mamdani’s] speechwriter Julian Gerson said references to other leading soccer players in one address were replaced by Mamdani, who wanted to include Bukayo Saka and William Saliba because they are among his favorites in the Arsenal squad.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6733357/2025/10/21/zohran-mamdani-world-cup-premier-league/
Mikel Merino genius double makes Haaland look like a confused mastodon.
Rumor has it that Chory means giant but ineffectual motherf*cker in Czech.
Re: Mamdani. It certainly can’t hurt to have friends in high places, and he does seem to be running the Stateside Saka and Saliba free PR campaign.
Thanks Trev. I didn’t see the game apart from the goals so it’s great to get your input. Mikel M scores some wonderful goals so it was great to see one bounce off his bonce.
Thanks all for the kind ones. I see tonight that Bayern gave leapfrogged us into top spot in the CL table – so it’s likely to be 1 vs 2 when we meet.
Thanks Trev for your informative and light hearted report. I was at a committee meeting so couldn’t watch the match live but surreptitiously kept a check on the score – the win was never in doubt! It’s certainly good times to be a gooner.
Onto the Stadium of Shite for the last match before the latest interlull. We can look forward to some tough & interesting matches when proper football returns and let’s hope Mikel’s optimism that many of the wounded will be available proves to be correct.
I see hints that the Arsenal are more relaxed about VG’s muscle strain and expect him to recover for the NLD. Good news. Hopefully, Mikel Merino can maintain his centre forward scoring rate on Saturday.
FIFA has created an annual Peace Prize. The inaugural award will be given out at the draw for the 2026 World Cup Finals in Washington in December. Who might the recipient be? Yes, that was a rhetorical question.
https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/media-releases/peace-prize-award-football-unites-the-world-infantino
What next? The N17 prize for achievement? The Rachel Reeves prize for economic competence?
Ned@21
Has any date been set for the surgery to remove Infantino’s head from the President’s arse?
On more savoury news Gabriel Jesus trained fully with the first team today
That’s state 3. Stage 1: remove it from his own arse.
Stage 2: remove ut from the Saudi royal family’s collective arse.
Infantino has clearly not included the state of peace, or otherwise, in the President’s own country. I thought FIFA were dead against any form of politics in football …?
re the infanticide piece prize, i thought it performative trophy-giving (i.e., “participation awards”) was only an amerikkkan thing to do. this is “power fellatio” of the highest order.
Scruz, there’s a ditty that comes to mind ( well mine only perhaps ) – 🎶 For he’s a jolly good fellatio, for he’s a jolly good fellatio, for he’s a jolly good fellatio and so say all of us 🎶 etc.
So, after the next, shortly upcoming interminable interlull, we may have back: Odegaard, Madueke, Martinelli, Havertz, Gyokeres, Jesus.
Wow. Thats a ludicrous list. What is the collective noun for a ridiculous amount of talent? A Bastin? A Brady? A Bergkamp?
Speaking of the title of this piece, I wouldn’t mind mating a few of the women who I saw in Prague during my Summer sojourn in 2022. Just saying, of course. 👏👏👏
CER @28
Simply an Arsenal ! Look what we have stored in our arsenal . It’s an impressive list !
CER @28 – isn’t it a Gusher when a well – in this case of talent – bursts out ?
Or if it has to be more Arsenal maybe a Wright Gusher ?
>>>>>>>