Bournemouth visited The Grove for a midday Saturday game under glorious skies, The Arsenal hoping to advance their cause and increase their lead at the top of the league. In the 11th minute Ryan Christie earned a straight red card for a high-footed, studs-up foul on Bukayo Saka. Arsenal, who by that time had five attempts on goal blocked, then found space all over their box and proceeded to put five first-half goals past a clearly outclassed 10-man Bournemouth squad, before swapping out 5 starters at half-time (Saka, Ødegaard, White, Partey, and Trossard for Jesús, Vieira, Cedric, Jorginho, and Martinelli) and cruising to a goal-difference-enhancing, position-maintaining victory.

Well…

That’s what I could have written, had referee David Coote actually been competent and worked with VAR to figure that a foul like Christie’s is both reckless AND dangerous. Instead we were treated to an otherwise outstanding first half of Arsenal pressure (nearly complete dominance for the first 30 minutes), and a second half evincing our maturity in the face of a team that has quality, just not enough to make a real challenge against us.

After that series of shot attempts by Saka, Trossard, and Mø, and then Christie’s unpunished foul, Arsenal spent the next 20 minutes with more than 90% of the ball. Excepting on 18 when Solanke got away from Gabriel and had the ball nicked off him in our box by an imperious Saliba we were largely untroubled by any Bournemouth threat. Havertz forced the first save of the game from Travers after a beautiful ball over the top from Tomi, hitting a delightful snap-shot on the half-volley.

And then, in the 14th minute of the game, fans in the stadium rose as one and clapped, in remembrance:

Rest in peace, Daniel. Go find ‘Holic, CBA, and Gooner Terry, they’ll take care of you…

Even as the fans were honoring Daniel Havertz was fouled by Christie. From then we were so on top of the Cherries even Saliba and Tomi were marauding forward, the former forcing Travers into another save and the latter nearly setting Mø free with a cutback intercepted in the box. Partey had a shot saved, Trossard shot over, Tomi’s header was cleared off the line, Saka had a shot blocked out for a corner, and on it went. We played in their half like we owned it, except for Bournemouth’s fouls, Christie being their principal offender…still not seeing even a yellow card. When we lost the ball we recovered it using a press that was active, multi-faceted, and suffocating.

After a foul on 29′ by Christie Bournemouth began to assert their quality, undoubtable under manager Iraola; as people have pointed out, after the first ten games of the season Bournemouth’s form has been fifth-best in the league. (Full disclosure: I had Iraola as my choice for first sacked in our GHF contest this season; Dr. F. Jnr. won that bet, correctly choosing Paul Heckingbottom.) While they began to see more of the ball, they could do little with it. When we had it we repeatedly held possession deep in their half, and our patience would soon pay off.

As with the rest of the half up to the 42nd minute Bournemouth decided to give us free run of the midfield, only to compress the central spaces trying to stop us from playing our intricate passes that so often lead to goals. One of our best chances in the half was by Rice from Havertz’s head; his low, fizzing half-volley from the penalty spot went just the wrong side of Travers’ post.

And then came our breakthrough moment.

After a Bournemouth free kick, we worked the ball around the defense before Gabriel found Mø just inside their half. He spotted Havertz’s run between Senesi and Zabarnyi, then curled a delightful ball into the box that Kai touched beyond a lunging Travers, who brought our £65-million man down. While there are arguments to be made that Havertz’s leg was “left in”, if that sort of rule were enforced with consistency players like Harry Kane would be playing in the Championship. VAR opined the ruling on the field was correct (Coote for once having not lived up to the etymology of his name). Saka stepped up and stood up Travers, firing in the goal to the keeper’s right. It was his 20th goal this season, and it was noted on X that Saka is the youngest to 20 goals in a season for Arsenal since Martin Hayes in 1986-87. Truly a remarkable player.

Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth (Saka, 45′)

The rest of the half continued as it had been being played, with Arsenal bossing Bournemouth, even through 4 minutes of stoppage time. Even with 16 shots forcing only 3 saves from Travers we weren’t exactly profligate; Bournemouth’s box-packing was excellent, and they blocked at least three times as many of our shots as Travers saved. Make no mistake, though, our dominance was such that had we scored five against 11 men no one would have thought we’d overperformed.

Half time: Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth

We began the second half as we ended the first, forcing Travers into two saves in the first five or six minutes before Bournemouth began to bite into the game. Our defense was compressed by Bournemouth’s pressing, and after a pair of non-fouls on Havertz and Mø Solanke got the ball from Kluivert in the box; Solanke shot hard and low, but it was well-saved by Raya.

The next fifteen minutes went back and forth like this, with Saka nearly converting a Havertz center, thwarted by Cook’s excellent defense. For the neutral it was probably the best part of the game; for Arsenal fans it was a bit of a tough watch, but our defense showed their ability to graft and dig in. Kluivert missed left wide of goal, then again from a free kick after a Gabriel foul twenty-five yards out. And Havertz and Partey got yellow cards for things more innocuous than Christie on Saka (thought I’d dropped that, didn’t you?), these were par for Coote’s course on the day.

Then came our second. Havertz won the ball deep in our defensive half, then White lofted a ball to Saka who found Havertz again, twenty yards inside our half; his movement on the day, his passing range, his touch, and his endeavour were all top, top class. We really wasted our money on him, eh? He found Mø, whose deflected pass landed at Rice’s feet. Rice is another whose day was magnificent: he showed light feet, power, drive, and incredible touch all game long. He used his first touch to stop the ball, and his second on the spin to send it to Trossard, who fired his first-time shot into the far corner of a despairing Travers’ net.

Arsenal 2-0 Bournemouth (Trossard, 70′)

And that, substantially, was that. The final 20 minutes of regular time played out a bit more foul-ridden than most of the game, with Arsenal largely on top. We kept pressing, putting in shots that went wide or were blocked, and Bournemouth kept trying, but to no avail. Well, except for that incident in the 73rd minute, when Solanke fouled Raya, who was lining up a punch of a high ball.

Solanke’s push forced Raya to only meet the ball weakly, punching it out to Christie who volleyed it off the bar; Semenyo then fired the rebound into the corner of the net. Coote had whistled (correctly again, amazingly) for the foul on Raya, and (also amazingly) VAR supported Coote’s original call. Bournemouth could certainly feel hard done by, but if Solanke doesn’t nudge Raya his punch would not have gone to Christie, etc.

Martinelli came on for Trossard, then Jesús came on for Saka. Gabriel scored a peach of a goal for what would have been our third, but it was ruled out for offside on Havertz at the free kick. 90 minutes came with 7 8 minutes [hat tip to ollie; ed.] of stoppage time. Then, in the 5th of those 7 8 minutes it happened: Ryan Christie received a yellow card. While it won’t matter to our season, it should have been his second (I mean as long as he remained on the pitch after fouling Saka) and he should have been gone.

It didn’t matter. Two minutes later, in our second straight home game against Bournmouth we scored a third goal in the 7th minute of stoppage time, this one of understated brilliance by MOTM Rice. Not as explosive as Nelson’s third last season, it was quality nonetheless, showcasing Rice’s tireless running and power even after a full game. Martinelli won it back in defense, squared it to Jesús who played it to Saka Partey [good catch, gsd’s dad; ed.] and took off upfield; Saka Partey passed to up centrally to Mø, who returned it wide right to Jesús. When Jesús collected the ball some 30 yards from goal Rice was still at the half-way line. With everyone watching our diminutive Brazilian Rice ran full tilt up the middle of the pitch, and in between two defenders at the edge of the box; Jesús’ pass was excellent, and Rice’s shot after a settling touch was hard and low and into the net. It was as perfect as Nelson’s goal, in its own way.

Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth (Rice, 90’+7′)

That was essentially it. We played one hell of a game, bossing most of it, and able to shift into a defensive mode that smothered most of what Bournemouth could think to try. My first paragraph above is really how it should have gone, all things being equal, but the end result in reality was perhaps even sweeter. Rather than rely on the decisions of a poor referee we took matters into our own hands and kept them out; two of our three goals were the result of excellent work and their lack of scoring was down to our defensive endeavour. We have a really, really good team.

It’s not in our hands, and on evidence of C115y’s play against Wolves we probably won’t win the league. But I am prouder of this season than last, as we are going to take them right down to the wire, forcing them to be as perfect as we are showing ourselves to be. Congratulations to MA8 and our team, it’s been such a fine ride this year…

And so, to the wilds of Middlesex, risking life and limb in order to bring light where formerly there was only darkness. Chief missionary today being our very own C100. The home crowd sounded as belligerent and restless as any encountered by Cook or Livingstone, as the antelope horn sounded out the pre-match battle cry; slow, plangent, in keeping with the speed and psychological disposition of the natives.

The team was as hoped with Tomiyasu nominally at left back, but actually providing huge flexibility as Gabriel and even Saliba could be pulled out wide left at times by the movement of Son and Kulusevski, with Tomi stepping into the middle to maintain numbers. 

Spurs started well, I thought, with their usual fast pressing in numbers. We seemed content to allow Vicario to have the ball. On 5 minutes, our play out of defence was pressed by Spurs and Partey was caught dithering when he could have popped off a ball to White, killing the press easily. An unsettling moment but the attack fizzled out and ended in the ball being played backwards by Spurs followed by the first of many dives from a Spurs player, the pattern to be followed for much of the game. 

Having weathered the initial storm, we started to apply control, moving the ball around, allowing the opposition to chase after it in the manner of a youthful labrador chasing a tennis ball in the park.

On 13 minutes there was a rather odd piece of refereeing. Partey deep in midfield passed brilliantly through for Ødegaard making a run through the back line on the final third. Ødegaard controlled the ball and passed it back to Havertz to smash in but the referee, responding to the linesman, blew for offside. TV evidence clearly showed Ødegaard was not offside. Now, aren’t we always told that the linesman is supposed to wait until the end of the move before flagging? Curious. 

This seriously shook Spurs, and they were subsequently caught out badly while trying to play out of defence, resulting in a corner being given to the visitors. Ben White behaved in the caddish manner of Terry-Thomas in the wonderful Ealing Comedy “School for Scoundrels” by standing behind the keeper and, rather than physically impeding him, simply puled the fastening of Vicarious right glove, requiring him to take momentary attention away from the ball coming in from Saka. The ball was flighted to the near post and the football player impersonator that is Hjojberg managed to head into his own net. As that great writer and satirist from another age, Wilde, famously wrote; it would take a heart of stone not to laugh. Saka, channelling his inner Wilde, turned to the natives and cupped an ear while, indeed, doing so.

Spurs 0 – Arsenal 1

Five minutes later, Spurs worked their own corner routine, resulting in Romero heading wide. And now Spurs upped their game and their dive count with serial offenders Kulusevski and Maddison being mentioned in despatches. Romero hit the post from a Maddison free kick, the result of what Gary Neville would describe as “clever” play by Maddison to win a free kick. Fortunately, Partey did enough to put off the Argentine sufficiently.

They maintained the pressure and Van de Ven ‘scored’ from a shot following a corner but was clearly offside, despite the PGMOL VAR referee trying his best to find a way to give the goal. You could hear the disappointment in Sky commentator Neville’s voice, as he had tried to suggest that Gabriels posterior ought to have played Van de Ven on. I would like to say: Come on Sky, Neville: You’re better than that. Alas, I would be telling an untruth.

And the Spurs nonsense and commentator disingenuousness continued to pile up, as Spurs displayed the diving skills they had clearly spent much of their game-free last fortnight perfecting, with first Kulusevski, and then the loathsome Maddison taking tumbles in the box. The latter was an obvious dive, the former may have been accidental contact, or indeed self-tripping. Either way it would have been laughable to give them as penalties. Even Neville couldn’t find a way to justify giving them. From the resulting fast break, Havertz played a beautiful crossfield ball for Saka who managed to isolate the hapless Davies, before cutting inside and passing into the keeper’s bottom right corner. Cue ear cupping and smiling at the natives at the end. Oh, happy days.

Spurs 0 – Arsenal 2

Faux indignation fired Spurs into upping their intensity and really pressurising Arsenal. However, Arsenal responded by keeping numbers behind the ball, maintaining the structure of the team and more often than not forcing Spurs to take the ball backwards as soon as they got near or into our box. 

On 37 minutes, we went further into the lead with another well worked corner routine. Terry-Thomas behaved like an utter bounder again in bumping the keeper and £65m waste of money Kai Havertz scored again. I was one of those who was unable to see what Havertz could offer earlier in the season. Not only has he shown me to be the epitome the poor judge, but he has saved me vast amounts of money as I have managed to secure a lifetimes supply of provisions from the European Humble Pie Mountain at knockdown prices. 

Spurs 0 – Arsenal 3

We went into half time three up, not playing our best and quite possibly being second best, certainly from a possession perspective. However, the half was an object lesson in controlling the game. Raya had little to do and the organisation and team spirit kicked in. The structure of the team was maintained at all times. The plan to isolate Davies had worked and our set pieces were excellent. We had played the game and not the occasion.

Half-Time: Spurs 0 – Arsenal 3

Spurs subbed Bentancur with Sarr at half time, an act presumably as much out of pity as tactical awareness as the game had pretty much passed him by. 

The excellent defending continued, as did the efforts of Kulusevski to gain advantage by falling over. Gabriel gave him short shrift and the Walthamstow weasel acknowledged this by looking away, awkwardly.

Arsenal were more in control than ever in the first 20 minutes of the second half and it was difficult to see where Spurs would get a goal from, notwithstanding that they had brought on Richarlison for Maddison and that the hopeless Werner had been taken off early in the first half time already, which would up any team’s chances of scoring. And out of nowhere, Raya gifted them a goal, just as Ramsdale had gifted Brentford a few weeks ago. Under no real pressure, Raya tried to play a short, chipped pass over the oncoming Romero, playing as a second centre forward at this point, into Partey, who was being converged on in any case by three Spurs players. The ball didn’t get above chest level and Romero controlled, advanced and put it past the keeper well.  This was wholly on Raya and will give fuel to those who say that improving a team is always good but this transfer seems to have swapped one set of incomplete skills for another,. And given that Raya is supposed to have better ball skills than Ramsdale, it is actually unclear as to how this transfer can possibly be progress as opposed to change. Of course, as noted above, I have been wrong about transfers before….

Spurs 1 – Arsenal 3

From this point on it was hard work for Arsenal. The whole tone changed and the previously somnolent Spurs crowd flamed back into life. 

At the same time, for much of the second half, we kept Spurs’ attacks very much at arm’s length. Spurs’ frustration showed itself with inevitable strops from Richarlison. On 84 minutes, our second momentary lack of focus occurred, as Rice, not seeing Davies, kicked through him as the Spurs defender knocked the ball forward in the box, resulting in a penalty, despatched well by Son.

Spurs 2 – Arsenal 3

Now Spurs tails were up and the crowd again burst into life. Richarlison shoulder charged Gabriel from the kick off, but apparently that’s okay. Spurs piled on the pressure but we held out, with increasing desperation but no sign of cracking.  The whistle blew. The players celebrated wildly.

Conclusions

Overall, a curious game where we actually had to work harder and were under more pressure in a first half in which we scored 3 than a second half in which we managed to concede 2. The team and Arteta will, I hope, have learned lessons to hold us in good stead next season.  Control needs to be maintained for the full 90 minutes. Perhaps this will be facilitated by improving on the bench, many of whom Arteta clearly doesn’t trust, judging by his reticence in bringing them on at all, despite a fresher Spurs side utilising all 5 subs, with only one of those being made in the last quarter of the game.

At the same time, last season we might have capitulated altogether. The last quarter saw backs-to-the-wall defending which managed to hold out pretty well. The fact that we have played 8 games to Spurs 4 in the month of April, with 5 games in the last 2 weeks to Spurs 2 also played into the momentary lapses of reason and focus responsible for both of Spurs goals. We have progressed again in a season where we have played a large number of games, including an impressive return to the European top table, with a relatively small squad, at least small in terms of those the manager feels comfortable with giving game time when it matters. Time to focus on and off the pitch on the wider goals which have been set. Control over emotions and opposition have been the key reason behind our progress. Control will be what propels us to success. 

Happy St Totteringham’s Day!

On the tube tonight on the way to this match I encountered a group of Neanderthals who soon outed themselves as Chelsea fans. I will censor their comments but their expectations for the game were either that they would get crushed 5-0 or it would be a classic. Their main hope was that Kai Havertz would not score against them. It was to be an evening when their worst imaginings came to pass.

Arsenal made a few changes from Saturday’s starting eleven. Tomayisu was chosen at left back and Partey started in midfield with Rice for the first time this season. Our esteemed friend Btm has been suggesting Partey should come into the side for some weeks and the quality of his performance tonight underlined why.

Although profoundly outclassed Chelsea squandered a series of opportunities in the first half but ended with only one shot on target. Their team was missing some key players, including the exciting Cole Palmer, but still cost a fortune and one can say with confidence that their outlay on Nicolas Jackson was money appallingly spent. They suffered a first defeat in nine league games, and degenerated into a sad rabble long before the end.

Arsenal began brightly and led inside four minutes.

Declan Rice was given  time and space to advance deep into the Chelsea half before slipping in Trossard to run outside Gilchrist and fire home a low, left-footed shot which was allowed to squirm home by Petrovic.

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 0 – Trossard

Chelsea’s suffered a very lucky reprieve when Jackson avoided a potential eighth-minute red card after raking Tomiyasu’s ankle with his studs.

Rice then fired narrowly over from the edge of the box following a delightful piece of control, before the visitors almost snatched a strange leveller.

Jackson outpaced William Saliba down the left wing, and his attempted cut back deflected off Gabriel and struck the outside of the near post.

Petrovic then saved well from Havertz and, moments later, made a fine reaction save to keep out Trossard’s effort which took a touch off Disasi.

Ben White produced a crucial block to deny Marc Cucurella after good work from Madueke, and Fernandez side-footed the rebound just wide. One felt Arsenal were vulnerable to the quick break and I particularly hoped Mudryk would not harm us.

Jackson then mystifyingly handled a terrific headed chance from Conor Gallagher’s cross as the first half finished with a number of yellow cards, including one for Arteta. It seemed he felt that the referee was inconsistent in booking Trossard having excused Jackson’s reckless challenge. I think he had a point.

Half-time – Arsenal 1 Chelsea 0

At the interval the game was in the balance as we had not been clinical in our finishing and Chelsea had the pace if not the composure to catch Arsenal on the break.

Arteta must have got into his side at the break and they came out with much more purpose after the interval.

Petrovic saved well from Rice and Havertz following lovely work by Ødegaard, who was in quite sublime form. Then from a corner Rice thrashed in a shot which was deflected to White who finished well.

Arsenal 2 Chelsea 0 – White

Havertz was then superbly released by Ødegaard and held off Cucurella to loft the ball over Petrovic. The goal was scrutinised by VAR after a heavy challenge by Gabriel on Madueke but was allowed to stand. Perhaps VAR were reluctant to chalk off a goal created by such brilliance from the Norwegian.

Arsenal 3 Chelsea 0 – Havertz

Jackson’s erratic game continued as he hit the side-netting with only David Raya to beat before Arsenal ploughed further ahead. Havertz doubled his tally in the 65th minute by firing home via the right post after receiving a short pass from Saka.

Arsenal 4 Chelsea 0 – Havertz

White got his second five minutes later when he chipped a volley across goal from Ødegaard’s dinked pass and it flew into the top left hand corner. It looked fortuitous but was a fair reflection of the gulf between the sides.

Arsenal 5 Chelsea 0 – White

In the 72nd minute Arsenal made a quadruple substitution bringing on Martinelli, Zinchenko, Jesús, and Jorginho, and ten minutes later brought on Vieira for Saka. The Portuguese laced a fierce drive just wide showing commendable confidence and ambition.

Full-time – Arsenal 5 Chelsea 0

This was not only an emphatic win but showcased some of the very best aspects of this Arsenal side. Ødegaard was mesmeric. I rate him extraordinarily highly and it was the best game I have seen him play. Rice was also brilliant, full of running and creativity, freed possibly by Partey’s elegant presence beside him. I thought the blend in midfield was excellent tonight.

Defensively we were troubled by Chelsea’s pace on the first half but overwhelmed their flaky attack in the second. Havertz had a slightly wasteful first half but an excellent second helped by the penetrative running of Saka and Trossard.

It is always nice to win local derbies and a 5-0 win is especially pleasing. As Trev’s excellent preview underlined Chelsea are a club in the midst of a financial crisis and they seem to lack character and structure on the pitch. Their capitulation in the second half came mainly through Arsenal’s excellence but I ran into those morons on the tube again after the match  suggesting that we might win f*** all and then encountered them being apprehended by the police on Arsenal station. They and their underachieving team deserve each other.

We march on with a healthily increased goal difference and THE big derby to come. We were excellent tonight and seem in good shape to take our title challenge deep into the season’s finale – come on Everton and Brighton!