A Kai Havertz header six minutes before the interval was enough to clinch victory for Arsenal in a tense and often bad-tempered game at the Emirates tonight.
Several Holics met to celebrate the season before the match began and this Holic limped to the ground after landing awkwardly on alighting from the train. At this stage I must be considered a doubt for the remaining matches and my searing pace will be missed.
When we arrived at the ground there was an atmosphere that veered between tense and triumphant. Opinion was split between those who saw this as an opportunity to post a cricket score and thus boost our goal difference and those who regarded a win, any win as a priority.
Arteta had picked a side that placed an emphasis on creativity in midfield with Eze and Ødegaard playing ahead of the imperious Declan Rice. Calafiori kept his place at left back but to most people’s surprise Kai Havertz led the attack with Gyökeres on the bench. It was not difficult to see the logic of Arteta who felt Burnley would defend deep and possibly suffocate Viktor.
Havertz dropped deeper and combined on a number of occasions with Saka to good effect. Arsenal looked most effective moving the ball quickly and created chances for Eze, Havertz and Trossard who hit a fine low effort against the left hand post with Weiss beaten. Saka had what looked from the North Bank Upper a fair shout for a penalty when he was foiled in the six yard box and Eze whipped a shot just wide. Saka had a deflected cross-cum-shot fly just wide of goal and Burnley, while proving resilient, were not getting forward to any great effect.
Arsenal’s breakthrough came five minutes before half time. Eze had a shot deflected wide of the right post. Saka’s beautifully measured corner was attacked by Havertz who headed past Weiss.
Half Time: Arsenal 1 Burnley 0
Burnley had proved obdurate and committed, underlining the oft ventured opinion that there are no easy games in the Premier League. So often, Arsenal have controlled games by dint of their mighty defence, diligent press and solid possession play in midfield. Both Eze and Mosquera gifted possession the early part of the second half but Arsenal found a way to record their nineteenth clean sheet of the season.
The threat from Burnley in the second half was more imagined than actual and Raya was rarely called into action of any significant kind but, at the same time, Arsenal were unable to help their fans breathe a little easier with a second goal. Eze came nearest with a bouncing volley that caught the top of the bar.
The main controversy of the second half was a high tackle by Havertz on Ugochukwu which was reviewed for an upgrade from yellow to red. My own highly biased view was that there was not enough momentum in the challenge to warrant this and Arsenal completed their 37th game of the season without incurring a red card.
Havertz was substituted shortly afterwards by Gyökeres, now a fully fledged cult hero and his pace and power severely unsettled the Burnley defence, especially the keeper. Despite seven tense added minutes and the substitutions of the excellent Trossard by Martinelli, Eze by MLS, Ødegaard by Zubi and Calafiori by Hincapié, Arsenal held out reasonably comfortably to secure three precious points.
This time tomorrow we could be champions if C130y fail to beat Bournemouth. These are heady times as well as tense times and we are very lucky to support a side of this quality. Let us hope that they will receive their deserved reward for their condo this season
Full time Arsenal 1 Burnley 0
Phew!
Thanks TTG for a late night match report delivered
so quickly and accurately.
I am sorry to hear of your accident and it’s my turn
to hope you are soon sound of wind and limb.
A soothing balm of your choice is on the bar for you sir!
Too drunk to read the report yet.
In a way I didnt want to break my ‘on holidays not posting’ rule.
But then I randomly bumped into CER going from my gate to other mate’s. And on the way back bumped into baff.
Good omen? Well it was not as easy as we’d all wished but this season not getting into any official holics gathering I seem to have randombly bumped into more holics than ever!
One more win (or not even….Cherries!) and the last one is a free hit!
Goonerholics Forever!
As for the game, we got a goal and we defended well.
I felt the full 55 minutes (how?) of the second half
personally, as though Burnley never looked like they could
score stranger things have certainly happened.
No red cards, no penalties against all season. It’s a
remarkable record showing how disciplined we have
been and it would be a first for PL winners to achieve
both apparently – if I haven’t of course thoroughly
jinxed that now.
Having said that, I think Kai was fortunate though replays
do make things look worse than real time.
Declan had a great game.
On we go to an iffy dump in South London…..
Ollie heh heh 😂🥂
Have a great time!
a keen report quickly rendered, ttg. thank you, and well done.
two more wins.
A appropriately short and sharp report, TTG, of a game that had little to be remembered for except that we came away with three precious points.
I hope Raya was not badly injured by Flemming’s assault, which was more worthy of a red card than Havertz’s tackle in my book as it was conducted with malicious intent. I look forward to the pundits’ searing criticism of VAR for getting that one wrong…
Good, prompt report, TTG. A win to be cherished. A game less so, despite the quality of Saka’s superb cross from the corner and high-flying Kai’s bullet header.
I thought that Saka’s heel was clipped and that it was a penalty; and that Havertz rather tired effort at a tackle put him in dangerous waters – tired but not malicious though. Fleming and Hannibal and his elephant instincts operated in the malicious zone.
I do hope ManCheaty lose tonight. I suspect they won’t and we’ll have another 90 minutes to enjoy on Sunday.
And what a tremendous coincidence that spittle roller Pep’s likely departure from the 130ers was announced just before kick off. Amazing that.
Nice speedy report, TTG. Great to see some ‘Holics for pre-match dinner: on reflection it may well have been only the Negroni aperitivo which enabled me to remain borderline calm during the game. Fantastic to bump into Ollie by Block 10 and see Bath afterwards for the traditional Block 10 post-match “warm down”.
The game itself can hardly be described as fun. I thought Havertz and Mosquera in particular were very good, Mosquera showing some Vieira-esque ability to come out of tight situations with the ball being particularly welcome. Onwards to FC Croydon who I hope will treat the game – only 3 days ahead of a far bigger one for them – as a light training exercise. It is annoying that we haven’t put this title to bed already. Any of the late goals away at Sunderland, Villa, Wolves or home to United not conceded would have seen it won. At the same time, I suppose late winners for us away to at Geordie Arabia, Wolves and West Ham, and home to Everton as well as the late equaliser home to C130y worked in our favour.
Come on you Cherries.
Excellent report TTG. Summed up nicely.
It was hardly a classic, although I do not remember the last time an Arsenal defender was so dismissive of the opponent’s ability to score that he actually got his arse out. Hincapie, we salute you.
Mikel knows.
(And, according to my spillchucker, so does Mike)
Thanks TTG for a fine overview of the evening and apart from Kai almost being sent off (should have) it was as professional a performance as one could hope for.
Being a depressive personality is tough enough on friendships, being a depressive personality with a brain disorder that will eventually kill you causing you to have drastic mood swings destroys friendships and is one of the reasons why I stopped posting especially after my doom laden last missive when we lost to Villa.
That all being said I still read the wonderful pre and post match reviews and would like to extend my sincere thanks to everybody who takes the time to do them with warmth, humour, history and to the fullest extent genuine knowledge and love for The Arsenal.
I hope Bournemouth do us a huge favour this evening as my heart could not take another one nil to the Arsenal on the final day of the season, lets have it be a celebration instead eh?,
Here’s to The Arsenal who man and boy have happily proved my dark side wrong and could still do an amazing double that most of us could never even have dreamt of.
Wishing all fellow Holics a wonderful life and a future that is always red….North London Red!
DG
Lovely to have you back and to rec3uve your good wishes . You are an important part of this bar and we understand things are not easy for you . Let’s all be very big Bournemouth fans tonight although no doubt Guardiola will hog the headlines win, lose or draw. It’s almost as if a very big black mark wa# heading C130’s way and he wanted to avoid being tarred with it.
As DG says it would be wonderful to be able to enjoy Sunday albeit spoiling Sky’s scheduling .
BTW did anyone know it’s 22 years since we won the Premier League – I genuinely think that has to be tagged on to any mention of us winning it . Just to devalue the potential achievement.
Have I mentioned how much I love it when we score from corners?
It was three games to make history. Now it is two.
Good to see you in, DG. I am sure I speak for all my fellow scribblers when I say it is heartwarming to know you read our efforts. A shared love of The Arsenal is our bond. I hope today or Sunday brings a great joy we can all share.
I think Sammy Nelson was our last mooning defender wasn’t he?
The Athletic on next season’s home kit:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7281338/2026/05/15/arsenal-new-kit-review-2026-27-emirates-stadium/
Southampton thrown out of the Championship playoffs for spying.
Middlesbrough will play Hull in the final.
I am less than downhearted about this. Means another new ground for me and my son to visit next season.
Southampton thrice guilty. Not so saintly. The punishment fits the crime.
I hope you enjoy a new ground, Countryman. In as far as glamour ties go, it would be hard to choose between trips to Middlesbrough and Hull!
I’m glad the right decision was reached. Apparently, English football does have an appetite for justice. In some situations, at least.
Thanks TTG, for a crisp and speedy report that distils the essence of a rather odd game. In addition to Havertz’s fine headed goal, we really should have scored 3 or 4 more goals in the first half which would have made the second half considerably less tense. However the players didn’t seem to show any nerves (or much energy or drive in the second half) and saw the game out without any alarms apart from Fleming’s GBH on Raya. Hopefully we have no new candidates for the treatment room and we now have six days to prepare for the our final PL challenge. Three points – check. Onward. Another three points and the job is done.
GSD @18. Throw in Darlington and Hartlepool and you have an ideal North East tour. I did like the urban myth that when Peter Mandelson was the MP for Hartlepool and did a photo op in a chippy said “I’ll have haddock and chips please”. And then, spotting the mushy peas, “ oh and a portion of the guacamole dip”.
Champions
CHAMPIONS!!!
We are the champions!
Never in doubt.
What a team, what a manager, what fans! CHAMPIONS.
That second half lasted for ever, but somehow, and somewhat surprisingly, City never really looked up for it.
WE ARE THE ARSENAL
“David Faber your team took one hell of a winning”
Ithink we.just won the PL
Oh my god, thank you guys navigating me throu this gorgeous and tortureos seoson.
COYG
And one for David Faber
CHAMPIONS!!!!
Make no mistake. Now we have won once this team is going places.
Now let’s get our hands on BIG EARS lugs
for GOONERHOLIC
Wot SP said @29
Deserve had everything to do with it
And wot Brendan said @32!
Cheers Brendan @30. Yer Da and ‘Holic are in the bar in heaven creating havoc!
WE,*
are the champions,
my friends!
What Matt and C100 said.
It’s grand to see you here Brendan.
Champions.
For the first time since this bar opened.
When did Dave start? Isn’t this the first time we’ve been champions since he began his bar?
This is amazing. To everyone who’s been a part of Dave’s bar, and this site we run in his honour… it’s been an honour and a privilege and I love you all.
Brendan @30. Well said. Top man.
He’s to Chris (Oskar), Gooner Terry, cba and anyone else I’ve missed. This is for all of you as much as us.
Moo.
JML. Where have you been all these years? You’re one hell of a good luck charm! 🤣
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