Goonerholics Forever

Arsenal’s five match winning run came to a grinding halt on Wednesday evening as they lost 2-0 to title chasing Liverpool despite another excellent display. After going toe-to-toe with the Reds for the opening 55 minutes, crucial lapses in concentration cost Arsenal as Liverpool found not one but two quickfire second half goals from Jota and Firmino to put the game out of Arsenal’s reach.

At kick-off the atmosphere inside the ground sounded raucous and the fans were brimming with optimism following our excellent recent form. The level of decibels only increased following a very good first half display. Despite this, the visitors started brightly, and Van Dijk tested Ramsdale with his header from Robertson’s corner well saved. But Arsenal quickly grew into the game, constantly narrowing the gaps for their opposition who struggled to find any rhythm. While we didn’t create much ourselves, we were more than matching a side that many believe to be the best in the world. Right on half time we had a scare when a sublime ball over the top from Alexander Arnold nearly put Mane, who should’ve been booked earlier in the half for a disgraceful dive, through on goal but a combination of Gabriel and Ramsdale was enough to put the Senegal international off as he spooned his effort well over the bar. We also saw a couple of superb driving runs from the exceptional Martinelli, who was causing Alexander-Arnold all kinds of problems. The youngster received his first call up to the Brazil squad this week and it’s not hard to see why. 

The second half began and Liverpool upped the tempo. Less than a minute into the half Mane was sent through on goal and tucked the ball beyond Ramsdale but the flag went up for offside and the goal did not stand. Replays showed this was the correct decision. And then came the turning point of the game. Following some Arsenal pressure, Thiago played an awful backpass to Allison which Lacazette intercepted. The Frenchman tried to round the Brazilian but, to Allison’s credit, he did well to stay on his feet forcing Lacazette to feed Ødegaard instead, who took a touch to steady himself but again Allison stood tall to make a huge save. It really should’ve been 1-0 and every Arsenal fan in the ground knew it. Against this level of opposition, you don’t get those chances often and when you do you need to convert them. 

Inevitably, two minutes later we were punished. Thiago, making up for his error played in Diogo Jota who fired it in at the near post for his customary goal against Arsenal. Replays showed that Ramsdale ought to have saved it but given his excellent form this season, I think we can cut him some slack. What made it even more sickening was the fact that Jota was about to be substituted anyway! It’s the hope that kills you. 1-0 down and Klopp brought on Salah and Firmino. What a lovely man. We tried to get ourselves back into it but we struggled to get a hold of the game and before we knew it, it was two. Saka failed to clear on the right-hand side and Robertson came storming down the touchline, sending in a sumptuous ball for Firmino to flick home. Game over. Off came Ødegaard for Smith-Rowe. Not his night. But still Arsenal didn’t give up. Martinelli continued to terrorise Alexander-Arnold and co but we just lacked the end product in the final third and that was the key difference Arsenal and Liverpool. Martinelli curled an excellent effort just wide, and the game came to its conclusion. 

Another Liverpool win against Arsenal but it felt different this time. We were competitive throughout and we matched them for large portions of the game. The signs of progress are blatantly obvious now even to the most toxic and negative of Arsenal fans. Apart from Piers Morgan obviously! But the level of performance was excellent as it was against Citeh. Give it another 18 months or so and we will be challenging fully. And with United and Spurs being as average as they are, and with Chelsea hopefully being liquidated and forced to relocate to Chernobyl (we can only hope) we may be able to force our way back among the elite. The first step of course is returning to the Champions League which we remain likely to achieve this season and then following another dip into Stan’s trust fund, another big money splash in the transfer market and we may be able to fulfil the Holy Willian Prophecy of winning the champions league by 2023. There is no escaping the prophecy. 

So up next, we have a quick turnaround to face Stevie G’s Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime. More Scousers. Much like rats, they say that you’re never more than six feet from a Scouser. Not that I’m otherwise comparing Scousers with rats! Although it is a local delicacy up there. But all Scouser jokes aside, another game in quick succession is exactly what you want after a defeat. It promises to be another tough game but one you’d expect us to win. Onwards and Upwards.

COYG!!

Well, that was pleasant.

Leicester City’s Foxes came to London today, to play our Arsenal at the Grove. They came in on a winning streak of four, whereas we’d won 8 of our last 10. Our ongoing success since December, and their relative inefficiency in gaining points over the same period saw us start the game 15 points and 7 spots above them. After a fine 2-0 victory we’ve extended those gaps, and regained 4th place in the table above Manchester’s red team.

And such a fine victory it was. Arsenal started with Baff’s predicted lineup, Martinelli preferred for Smith-Rowe after the latter’s recovery from Covid. Well-played for that, sir, as well as calling the final score, the shakiness of Söyüncü, and Leicester’s poor record of defending set pieces. All came good today, in an Arsenal performance that was professional, exciting, and assured (for the most part). Strangely (?) Leicester opted to start with Tielemans on the bench, leaving only Maddison and Barnes to express their creativity. Iheanacho started ahead of Daka in the absence of Vardy.

It was Arsenal who had the best of a vibrant and engaging first half. We started the game under a little pressure for the first five minutes or so, then broke out and started playing some lovely stuff. We moved up into their half with ease, in part due to deep passing from White, Partey, and Ramsdale that was effective and accurate. Early on we kept getting Saka free on our right, creating trouble that led to little except mounting pressure on the Leicester defense.

When we lost the ball our press was excellent. It seemed like every time Maddison or Barnes (or just about anyone, really) had the ball on the Arsenal side of the center circle we had two or three players closing down the ball and cutting off the forward passing lanes. It forced Leicester to play like Emery’s Arsenal, employing back passes to their defense, and, at best, playing the “horseshoe-of-death” looking for an opening. Schmeichel rarely had time to pick a pass other than to his close defensive partners. We dispossessed them in their half often enough that by halftime we had 9 shots, 3 on target, even as they had a fair number more passes.

But in the 11th minute we had our goal. After good work down the left by Gabi Tierney earned a corner, which Gabi took. Partey rose highest, mostly unmarked, at the near post and flicked it in to the net past a static Schmeichel.

Arsenal 1-0 Leicester (Partey, 11)

The goal was nothing more than he deserved. His play all half was excellent, his passing accurate and incisive, he shielded the ball well, and he drove us between Leicester’s lines. Seven minutes later his second shot of the game came after we were camped in their box, trying to find a way through with Saka, Laca (who nearly put Saka in AGAIN with a sweet little backheel), and Xhaka. Xhaka’s blocked shot was passed to Partey, who shifted feet and curled a shot that beat Schmeichel, but hit the angle of the crossbar and the post. We were very close to being up 2-0 at that point.

A second goal then would have been deserved. Saka, Martinelli, and Xhaka all had efforts blocked or saved between the goal and Leicester’s first meaningful challenge to our defense. Dewsbury-Hall sent a lovely diagonal ball from about the halfway line to Barnes at the right edge of the box. Barnes controlled it pretty well, then tried to shoot past the onrushing Ramsdale, who parried it out for a City corner. Ramsdale punched away the resulting corner nearly to the center circle.

That pass from Dewsbury-Hall was the start of a fifteen-minute period of Leicester ascendency, where they raised their game to match Arsenal and were a bit the better team. Dewsbury-Hall, rather than Maddison, was the architect of their (relative) success; he put a pass into the box that was barely touched by Ramsdale to Maddison. White proved his mettle with an excellent tackle in the middle of the box as Maddison sought to shift the ball to shoot.

Leicester continued to pass the ball, a lot; Albrighton showed his usual skill and verve, thankfully to little effect. After a City throw-in on the left of our box, a rare Arsenal mistake. Gabi and Gabriel miscommunicated who was to do what with Maddison’s flick into the box for Pereira, leading to a corner. Albrighton kicked the corner off of Laca at the near post, leading to a second corner. It was played short, then Albrighton put in a beautiful cross that Barnes headed towards the top corner of Arsenal’s net from inside the penaly spot. Ramsdale stuck out a strong right hand and blocked the shot; Tierney put it out for a corner. An excellent save, impressing even Rodgers, who’d thought it was in.

Ramsdale was excellent all game, catching or punching everything that came his way. His distribution was spot-on again and again. Only late in the second half did one or two of his long kicks go awry.

Ihenacho’s only contribution of the first half was to flick Gabriel in the face as halftime approached. This earned him a yellow card from the strangely competent Anthony Taylor.

Halftime: Arsenal 1-0 Leicester

The second half, by and large, was ours. Leicester never really threatened, and except for a few notable incidents was an exercise in us controlling the game with our pass and move play.

The first incident was (yet another) moment of Granit Xhaka stupidity. Fortunate for us, it didn’t bite us at all hard. After a passage of play we worked the ball back to Ramsdale, who sent a slightly overhit pass to Xhaka on the left, near to the halfway line. Rather than just let the ball bounce out of play he backpedaled to the touchline, jumped up, and caught the ball. Both the linesman and Taylor adjudged the ball to have been in play when Xhaka caught it, and awarded the free kick to City. We were lucky not to have Xhaka given a yellow card (Taylor’s one real mistake today, imho), especially given what came shortly thereafter. As well, Leicester didn’t do anything from the freekick.

We ended up on a break down the left, and Gabi took it smartly and quickly to the endline, passing back to Laca, whose shot was blocked. Laca passed the rebound to Xhaka, who looped the ball far post to Saka, whose shot was parried out by Schmeichel. We recycled the ball, but it led to nothing. Great stuff by Gabi, using hesitation and acceleration to shake loose from the defense.

In the 54th minute Mendy pulled Gabi back as he ran through for a Xhaka pass shortly thereafter, and it earned us a free kick from the left, even with the edge of the box. Mø put in a curler to the near post, and after a short rebound White fired in a shot that was saved by Schmeichel. From the rebound Partey stooped and headed the ball goalwards — wait was that a touch of the hand by Søyüncü? The ball was cleared by Leicester to Ramsdale while the Arsenal players were all calling for handball.

After about 30 seconds play was stopped for an Arsenal throw-in while VAR was checked. After another 90 seconds Taylor ran over to review the replays himself; after another half-minute he gave the penalty, and the yellow card for handling. Maybe if he caught it with two hands it wouldn’t have been a yellow? Notwithstanding the minimal touch on the ball by the defender, Laca stepped up and smartly dispatched the penalty high to the diving Schmeichel’s right.

Arsenal 2-0 Leicester (Lacazette, 59)

Leicester brought on Justin for Pereira, and Ndidi for Mendy, hoping to make enough of a change to gain an advantage in their push to get back into the game. Ramsdale saved a ping-ponging effort from Albrighton, but Arsenal’s defense was alive to all the chances City were taking. Our defensive structure was coherent and active. We forced the Foxes wide and backwards, keeping 10 men behind the ball (or nearly so). When the opportunity arose we broke for their goal.

Iheanacho was lucky to be left on the pitch after catching White with a flailing arm in the 68th minute. He very well could have been sent off, as his first yellow was really for the same thing. It would have been harsh, though, to be sent off for that. Thomas should have gotten a yellow a short while later when he slashed Saka’s leg. Iheanacho was replaced by Daka, who by the end of the game had earned his own yellow card for bringing down Saka outside of the City box.

Ndidi did force a save from Ramsdale with a snap shot, but City was largely bereft of ideas during the final 20 minutes of the tie. Arsenal gave as good or more than they got, forcing Leicester into a number of blocks; Xhaka put a long-range effort over the bar. We were treated by appearances by ESR and Pépé, on for Martinelli and then Saka. Both played fine, but neither created anything of note. We used our final sub to bring on Eddie for Laca, with Tierney becoming captain (now and for the future!); aside from one chance to set ESR free on the break Nketiah didn’t have much time to be very effective.

Stoppage time of 5 minutes was a bit of a surprise, but no matter. The defense blocked everything, and even when the ball was loose Ramsdale bossed his area; Daka’s collision with him caused a good minute to come off the clock while he was treated. Every Leicester thrust was repelled, and finally Taylor blew the whistle for full time.

Full time: Arsenal 2-0 Leicester

Arsenal outshot City 21 to 6, with 8 on target for Leicester’s 3…this despite having only 46% possession. Even when Leicester was relatively on top of the game, it wasn’t so much to be worried about. The defense was in top form, and the team stayed calm regardless of what Leicester was doing. Our breaks were dangerous all game long. On another day we could have had three or four goals, but only Ramsdale’s save from Barnes’ header could have been one for Leicester.

Another clean sheet, finally goals for Partey and Laca, and another decent refereeing performance (maybe PGMOL’s money from Chelsea didn’t make it for this month, so they’re auditioning suitors?). Back into fourth place, and our games in hand slowly mean less and less. We may lose points to Liverpool (though I wouldn’t bet that way even if I wasn’t an Arsenal fan), but we’re in a strong position to defend to get into the Champions League places at the end of the season.

Did I say pleasant? Delightfully so, yes. Enjoy the glow, Gooners.

Arsenal came out on top by the odd goal in five in what proved to be a thoroughly entertaining match against Watford, albeit one which finished closer than it needed to.

If there is a lesson to be drawn, it is the value of shooting on target. We scored from our first three shots on goal, yet we also played some of our best football all season today, without testing Ben Foster at the end of many promising attacks. We must be more clinical, as better sides than Watford will punish us if we aren’t.

Before kick-off, both teams stood around the centre circle and there was a minute’s clapping to support Ukraine. At some point chants of ‘Arsenal, Arsenal’ rang out – I’m not sure why, perhaps someone might know something and share in the drinks?

Our unusual looking kit (red shorts instead of white ones) looked to be cursed, as we appeared to get off to a calamitous start, Dennis taking 17 seconds to put the ball past Ramsdale and into the goal. Fortunately, he was offside when receiving the pass.

We started moving the ball slickly and took only five minutes to score an absolute beauty. Out on the wing, the imperious Bukayo Saka played the ball infield to Ødegaard, who looks more like DB10 every week. As it went across his body, the Norwegian knew exactly where it was going in relation to his right foot and allowed himself to pivot into a backheel that God would have smiled approvingly at. Not done with that sublime touch, he raced away from the covering defender, and when Saka played him the perfect return ball, he controlled it and finished it with a calm assurance that Gooners everywhere will want to see time and again when he gets into position to shoot.

Since we appointed our Spanish gaffer, the last few weeks have been the first time I have seen us produce anything that I would consider calling ‘Artetaball’. For me, ‘Wengerball’ was so clearly unlike what had gone before it was like watching a new game. That was the genius of the appellation. Personally, I thoroughly dislike the lazy use of ‘Artetaball’ to describe anything an Arteta team does; with that said, it gives me great pleasure to see this young side taking shape and starting to produce patterns, tempo, passes, runs and even goals that look recognisably consistent and deliberate. This team is starting to do the things its architect wants. And those things are good.

Gabriel continued his dodgy start to matches with some poor positioning, but, generally, we were much the better side.

Then, Watford scored. KT could have won the ball but didn’t; Emmanuel Dennis flicked it wide; Xhaka and Gabigol, who provided the Scot with patchy cover (at best) all afternoon, got bunched up so neither of them covered the overlapping run. When the cross came in, our defence let Cucho Hernandez find space in the middle as they watched the ball without attacking it. To be fair, it was an excellent scissor kick finish from a player who did nothing to win the respect of the away fans in a display in which pissy vied with bitchy to win the Adjective of Choice award. 

The game was open and entertaining. Partey shot narrowly wide with his left foot when a shot on target would have been a goal; Foster was planted.

Ramsdale made a good save from Dennis as our defensive display failed to match the standard of some of our enterprising attacking moves. Watford aimed diagonals over Tierney’s head, but he fended them off well, with the occasional luxury of some help from the quiet Gabi and the just about adequate Xhaka.

On 30 minutes, we scored the game’s third cracking goal. Saka won the ball determinedly, ten feet outside the Watford box and played a ball into Laca. The Frenchman jinked it one way, completely wrong-footing the defender, before rolling it backwards to the onrushing England international who sent the keeper the wrong way with a finish that went into the top corner at pace. It was very, very good.

The game continued to be played at a good tempo, with both teams showing plenty of commitment and endeavour, and, although it was the team in red who looked to have more quality, Watford gave our slightly ponderous defence some uncomfortable moments.

Half-time came around and it looked like we would still have a way to go to secure the three points. Indeed we did.

At the start of the second half pissy and bitchy slipped back in the pecking order as divey cheaty fakey scummy disgraceful raced ahead as the description of choice for the, err, divey cheaty fakey scummy disgraceful Hernandez, who got touched somewhere above his torso by White as he won the ball fairly; this he saw as a reason to go down clutching his face, forcing the game to be stopped for a potential head injury (there should be retrospective disciplinary action for any player who abuses this potentially life-saving protocol to stop a match when they are clearly uninjured) and trying his best to get a fellow professional sent off. Watford players crowded round Craig Pawson, who was not remotely interested; neither was VAR; nor, I suspect, would have been the Watford players if they saw a replay of what had happened to their integrity-deficient teammate.

It is always tremendously gratifying to see this sort of behaviour fail to boost its perpetrator, but it is even better when a minute later his team concedes a goal. Gabigol served up some just desserts with the sweetest of finishes at the end of yet another sublime move.

Arteta rolled back the years, starting a move with a swift recycling of the ball as it went for a throw in. Saka took it quickly to Cédric, who had bombed into the open space left by a napping Watford midfield. He played a nice ball to Ødegaard, who played a delicious flick to Laca. The first-time layoff from our captain was perfect (literally, perfect) and Gabigol stroked it into the top corner like an archer firing an arrow straight in the red: controlled, measured and with thundering pace.

We continued to create chances and make little of them. Some of our passing was excellent, but at times it was a little behind the man and broke down unnecessarily as this took its toll.

Dennis missed a sitter at the back post (phew!) and Ramsdale played a few iffy passes that he will want to cut out.

Thomas Partey has taken a lot of stick that I haven’t agreed with. Sure, he had a poor start in our colours, but he always looked to me like a classy player who would come good, not like an overpriced waster who was not the type of player we expected, or whatever else he was labelled. Today was another in a string of much improved performances. The bloke was just excellent today. The way he turns out of danger into clear space is so good to watch, and it is an incredibly useful tool to have in the modern game. Can he add some goal threat to become a complete Premier League midfielder? If so, then £50m is great business.

Lacazette might have had a goal if he had been awarded a penalty when Cathcart clearly clipped his heel. I don’t know why VAR did not award it; the replay could not have been clearer. If the on-field ref had awarded it, then VAR would have confirmed it.

However (and I assure you, at this point, before you read my next few sentences, that you are, in fact, awake), I have every sympathy with Craig Pawson in his original decision, as it would have been very hard for him to be sure enough to give it. He also gets the benefit of the doubt because, for the first time in my memory, I thought he was excellent today. It was the best performance from a referee I have seen all season. I will grant that there were no big, contentious calls to make, but I thought he got almost everything right today. You all know I don’t mind calling out a poor refereeing performance; I am also more than happy to praise an unexpectedly good one (indeed, I would love to have more call to do so!). Well played today, Craig.

As the game entered its final phase, Pépé came on and looked lively. Eddie came on for Laca (KT3 taking the captain’s armband) and hit the post with a decent effort.

Xhaka then decided he had had enough of this dull fare. Why do something the easy way when you could do it the Xhaka way? He played a woeful cross-field ball to Watford, then let Sissoko run off him so the ex-spud could collect a ball over the top, bobble it past White and squeeze it under Ramsdale to leave Roy’s men in with a sniff of an unlikely point.

As it turned out, there was little excitement left in the game. Eddie got a deserved yellow for a taking a man down – good to see him take no chances of a counter. Then Cédric, another player who is coming good after a prolonged spell of looking far below the quality we hoped we had bought, went down with cramp, adding to Ramsdale’s efforts to waste time without taking the piss; both judged it well.

Hernandez had time to get a yellow for chucking a ball at KT3. Twat.

Then, the best man in black since Johnny Cash blew his whistle. Game over.

Overall, we just needed 3 points today. We are in fourth as I write this, and still have games in hand. 

The fact that Saka and Ødegaard were unplayable at times today was a bonus. Partey was monstrous, in the best way possible. Gabi was quiet (but he is never going to build up play like some of our other young attackers), until he had a sniff, when he turned deadly. We are not the finished article, but we are headed in a great direction.

Long term: we need to get rid of Xhaka and get in a top player as replacement. And find a version of Lacazette who also scores goals.

Short term: keep picking up points.

It is that simple.

Leicester next.

Until then, have a good one, ‘holics.