Goonerholics Forever

For the second time this season Arsenal were left to rue a string of missed chances as we lost to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa.

In the first half we were all over them. Saka had Digne on toast and Odegaard found him in behind with a series of balls, none of which we made the most of. On the other side, Trossard played in Havertz but his shot was blocked, and the pair interchanged well without creating enough clear chances.

Havertz was deployed deeper than we have seen recently, starting in midfield behind Jesus in the striker’s role. He had license to run beyond our feisty Brazilian, and Konsa was unsure whether to stay with Trossard on the wing or follow Kai’s clever runs. However, the German’s lack of pace shone through a few times when he couldn’t get away from the rapid Douglas Costa whose speed got him back in position to make some important blocks and tackles.

We played one beautiful, sweeping move which ended with a free header for Jesus at the back post. He headed it down and wide. I love him as a player, but today he highlighted why there has been clamour for a striker; like Havertz, he can score goals, but he is not clinical in front of goal.

We outplayed them comfortably for the whole half. There were moments when Trossard and Jesus sprinted back to nick balls off the toes of Villa attackers, which helped keep our stranglehold on the game.

They had one good chance when Gabriel sprayed an out ball into Zinchenko’s back and Watkins ran through on goal before hitting the inside of the post. It was a let-off, as we could have gone in a goal down which would have been wildly unfair but we had not capitalised on a lot of excellent football. Had we done the same against Bayern, I’d expect us to be losing.

Immediately though we fashioned our best chance, Trossard hitting a shot from 5 yards out that allowed Martinez to make a save when there was a lot the goal available where he would not have reached it. However, unlike some of our other options, Trossard is very good in front of goal, and no-one can score them all, so I don’t want to go in on him for missing this one. Unfortunately though, Captain Hindsight reckons if he’d scored it then we’d have won the match.

I’m sure many of us were worried at half-time that we had been so profligate but the team have given us so much reason to be optimistic there was no need to be unduly worried at half-time. Or was there?

Villa improved a lot in the second half. They calmed down and strung some passes together. We stopped building through midfield, and tried to play longer passes forward, drying up much of the possession in their half that Odegaard had used so well in the first period.

Saka continued to get fouled. David Coote continued to give marginal calls to Villa and yellow cards only to our players. Havertz got one for a reason I could not tell you. I didn’t see anything worthy of a foul, or him get the card, and then a caption came up telling me he had a yellow. Douglas Costa wildly high kicked Odegaard in the chest with a swing that was never going to get the ball. It was not malicious but it was daft. David Coote didn’t think it was worth a yellow. There are many things I do not think David Coote’s refereeing is worth.

Zanniolo fouled, faked and harried his way round the pitch. When not being a petulant tit, he did some good stuff with the ball, and had an excellent second half until he got subbed, seemingly with a slight injury.

Villa had not created lots but as the game began to get tense and both managers made subs, they began to exert some pressure. We put on Tomi, Gabigol, ESR and Jorginho for Odegaard, Jesus, Trossard and White. Benjamin looked like he might have had a little niggle. Let’s hope it is nothing serious.

The crowd tried to get behind the team but even on TV the nerves were becoming palpable.

We defended a few corners but our attacking output had dried up. We really needed to steady the ship in midfield. Much like a European tie, the key was not to concede…

On 84 minutes, we conceded.

It was a crap goal that I don’t want to rewatch to describe it to you. We should have cleared it. Then we should have stopped the cross at source or in the box. We did none of those things and it went through to Bailey, who slotted it in at the back post.

A couple of minutes later and it was truly game over. Watkins ran through, onside, as he was in his own half when the ball was played, and we left him acres to run into. ESR did a decent job tracking back but Watkins did well to hold him off and finish beautifully over Raya, who went down early, although it was the quality of the finish that made the goal, not what the keeper did. Watkins is a player I like a lot. It was a hugely well-taken goal after we had kept him quiet all game. It rather showed us what we’d missed.

We huffed and puffed a bit, bringing Eddie on for an airing, but nothing came of eight minutes of extra time and Coote put us out of our misery.

So, on a day when Poo also lost, what to make of a result that puts City top?

Well, personally, after a run of ten wins and a draw at the champions, I did not expect us win another seven in a row as we swept to the title. It just doesn’t work like that.

Sure, we all wanted the win today, and if we’d finished better in the first half then it was there for us. However, there are always unexpected results at this stage of the season. The pressure does funny things to players and teams. City might win their remaining games and win the league. If they do, then fair enough (obviously I am not suggesting there is anything fair about what City do), sometimes other teams play well, get good results, and we don’t control that.

I would be surprised if they don’t drop more points though. And I quite fancy us to pick up points whilst the pressure is on City. Both us and Pool have lasted barely a week at the top since we reached the summit. Let City play with the pressure whilst we follow in their slipstream. We just need to put it behind us, focus on our performances and ensure we are ready to pounce if they slip up.

All is far from lost. There are plenty of important games still to play.

Bayern are next and a chance to put ourselves three games away from being European Champions.

We are just where we have dreamed of being for years. No-one said it would be easy, but we need to keep the faith – there aren’t any fat ladies singing just yet.

Until next time ‘holics.

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There was a distinct buzz around Holloway yesterday evening as the Arsenal faithful walked up to the Emirates stadium. As we entered the ground it seemed very strange seeing red and white in the away end. The home crowd were very loud and passionate. “North London Forever” rang out into the night sky.

The team were unchanged from Brighton except at left back where Kiwior came in for Zinchenko. There were a few muttering around me that they’d have preferred Tomiyasu.

Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Rice, Jorginho, Ǿdegaard, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.

The referee was Glen Nyborg from Sweden, handling only his sixth CL game and his first knock out game. He was to have a significant impact. Familiar faces were all around on the Bayern side, Kane, Dier (both roundly booed all night), Leroy Sane, Manuel Neuer inter alia.

Very early on (8^th minute), Alphonso Davies picked up possibly a harsh yellow card following a heavy tackle on Saka. He will now miss the next leg next week.

We opened the scoring with a wonderful goal from Saka. Ǿdegaard to Saka, to Havertz to White who played an excellent pass in the area to Bukayo. Taking barely a touch, he curled the ball into the far corner.

Arsenal 1-0 Bayern Munich (Saka 11)

On 16 minutes, White was laid in and had a clear shot at Neuer. Unfortunately he hit it straight at him. Arteta afterwards said this was a “critical moment in the game”.

We were in complete control. But just following this we let in one of those goals we were so familiar with in 2023, but thought we had eliminated in 2024. The ball was punted forward from the Bayern penalty area. It looked easy for Gabriel, but Raya had rushed forward to within 10 yards of the half way line. This seemed to throw Gabriel who, denied the simple pass back to his goalkeeper, tried to find Kiwior ahead of him. He slipped slightly, causing the ball to miss Kiwior and gave the ball away to Sane. He played a great ball to Goretska who slipped it to Gnabry who scored. An awful goal to give away. What was Raya doing?

Arsenal 1-1 Bayern Munich (Gnabry 18)

Kiwior had been having a hard time against the electric Sane. On the half hour he was tight against Sane on the touchline on the halfway line. He was rolled and Sane was away. He ran into the box where he was eventually tripped by Saliba. A clear penalty. In the CL you get punished for losing the ball.

Arsenal 1-2 Bayern Munich (Kane, pen, 33 minutes)

We haven’t been in this situation for a long time. And it almost got worse. Counterattacking again, Sane was left unopposed to run into our half. Ǿdegaard slowed him down just enough for Ben White to make a magnificent saving tackle in the box. A big moment. We were staring 3-1 in the face. What had happened to our impregnable defence?

HT Arsenal 1-2 Bayern Munich

At half time, the beleaguered Kiwior was swapped for Zinchenko. Still no Tomi (in retrospect this was a good move when we had to chase the game). On 54 mins, Kane threw an elbow at Gabriel and hit him in the jaw. He was given a yellow card, but for me it was a straight red. The referee bottled sending off the England Captain. He looked around to size up where Gabi was, didn’t jump (so no need for leverage) and made hard contact to the face. VAR was finishing his half time coffee and had nothing to say. But it was an indication that perhaps this game was too big for this ref.

On 65 minutes the subs began. Amazingly, for me, Sane was hooked for Comen. He had been their best player and didn’t look injured. For us Jesus and Trossard came on for Martinelli and Jorginho.

Straight after the subs, Raya seemed to take a goal kick to Gabriel, who picked it up and put it back on the six yard line. Bayern players screamed for a penalty. I don’t know, but it was possibly another indication of a lack of focus in our defence. Anyway, nothing given, play on, not even mentioned by the TNT commentators. On 68 minutes the excellent Gnabry limped off with a possible hamstring injury. Let’s hope it keeps him out of next week.

Arsenal pushed forward. The crowd roared them on. Bayern players flopped to the ground at every opportunity, slowing the game down. On 76 minutes the ball went to Jesus, five yards outside the area. He jinked left and right, drove into the area and made a perfect square ball to Trossard who swept it first time into the corner of the net. A brilliant goal, made by the subs combining. Chaos in the crowd.

Arsenal 2-2 Bayern (Trossard 76)

More subs. Partey on for Havertz (who had an excellent linking game). Five minutes of added on time. Our hearts stopped as we went past 90 mins as Musiali got to the byline, and cut it back. Coman made a great run, flicked it goalwards, it went through Raya’s legs and hit the post! Phew!

And so to the most controversial moment of the game. First Ǿdegaard was flattened by Davies just outside the box. No foul given. Then, from a great vertical ball from Partey, Saka was in the area and running at Neuer. He went down from the goalkeepers challenge. 60,000 throats screamed for a penalty. Rio Ferdinand (no friend of Arsenal) was sure it was a penalty. So did Martin Keown. So, from row 9, most assuredly did I. Neuer clearly moved his right leg towards Saka and made contact. Nothing given. Full time.

FT Arsenal 2-2 Bayern Munich

In the cold light of day, that penalty is given 8/10 times. Make that 10/10 for Harry Kane.

So we scored two great goals, conceded two silly goals and had the character to come back from a losing position. We will learn from this. Bayern were very good. It was a great game. But there is all to play for in the second leg. We can beat them over there.

So, on a typical April day of sunshine and showers we were off to Brighton. We had never been to the Amex stadium, indeed my last visit to see Brighton at home had been when I was about 10 and my parents were visiting friends who lived there. No idea who the opponents were. The ground in those days was the Goldstone Ground which has long since been knocked down. There is very little parking round the Amex (which is in the middle of nowhere in a University complex in Falmer although with excellent train facilities back to the City) and most folk use the various Park & Rides. I had heard that it took a long time after the game to get out of those, so I booked a parking space which looked reasonable about 1.2 miles away. Big error. This was a BRIGHTON 1.2 miles which meant it went up and down like a fiddlers elbow and when we got to the ground (which took 45 minutes) my back was in spasm. Park and Ride for me next time. 

Once we got to the Amex it proved to be a tidy little ground with a capacity of about 31k and with some pleasing curves rather than being box like. The booking Gods had placed us in row A, which actually were excellent seats, just to one side of the goal. Now although I sit in row 9 in the North Bank, this was really close to the players and, as they warmed up, I was able to see up close what a big and imposing set of lads we now have in the team. 

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Rice, Ǿdegaard, Saka, Havertz, Jesús.

A chorus of “Sussex by the sea” and we were off. Both sides made a lively start. There were chances missed by Gabriel (in the first minute), Saka, and Jesús. The latter also forced a fine save from Verbruggen from a different effort. But, just on the half hour, the pressure paid off. The ball reached Jesús on the left hand side. He ran at Lamptey, who swung a foot at him, just touching the ball, but taking out both Jesús’s legs in the process. Penalty given and confirmed. The whole world and his wife agreed it was a penalty, including the Brighton manager, but excluding (so I hear, I haven’t seen it) Lee Dixon on a US commentary. Ǿdegaard stood on the spot, as is his wont, before handing the ball to Saka, who tucked it away to the goalkeepers right. 

33 mins, Brighton 0-1 Arsenal (Saka, pen)

To their credit, Brighton came back strongly and Enciso forced a fine save from Raya, with a loopy, curling shot headed for the top corner. We were so close you could hear the thump of glove on ball as, at full stretch, Raya’s outstretched hand tipped it over the bar. 

HT: Brighton 0-1 Arsenal

In the second half we assumed total control. There was a chance for Ǿdegaard after being set up by the superb White (who seemed a bit feistier than normal as he played his old club). Brighton lost the ball in our half. Jorginho made ground, then moved it inside to White, who passed to Ǿdegaard. Jorginho meanwhile was pointing to a patch of unattended grass in the penalty area roughly the size of Hove and sprinting towards it. He got the ball back, ran along the goal line (when did we ever see Jorginho on the by-line?)  before producing a perfect cut back for Havertz to bundle the ball into the net. Cue massive limbs, numerous renditions of “Waka, Waka…” and man-hugs galore from the boys in green. 

62 minutes, Brighton 0-2 Arsenal (Havertz)

Various subs then occurred (Martinelli and Trossard (roundly booed) for Jesús and Saka, then a few minutes later, Tomiyasu for Zinchenko). Arsenal were now in complete control of the game as Brighton’s heads dropped and we finally administered the coup de grace in the 86^th minute. Brighton again lost the ball in our half, Havertz cleverly played in Trossard, in his own half, who ran half the length of the field before sitting down the goalkeeper and chipping it over him for a great finish. More massive limbs in the away end. Trossard stood, in the arena of his former employers, arms spread wide, drinking in the enmity of the Brighton fans, who promptly started leaving for home (cue “Everywhere we go, stadiums are empty!”)

86 mins, Brighton 0-3 Arsenal (Trossard)

More subs: Vieira  (to loud cheers from California) and Eddie for Ǿdegaard and MOTM Havertz. The only other thing of note was in added time when Gabriel blocked a shot Adams-like from Pedro and he, Trossard, Raya and Saliba celebrated preserving the clean sheet like he had just scored the winner in a World Cup final. These guys!

FT: Brighton 0-3 Arsenal

Brighton had not been beaten at home since August and had not conceded a goal at home for five games. A magnificent performance where Havertz, Ǿdegaard, White and, of course, Gabriel and Saliba were fantastic. There was one move in the first half when Saliba, five yards from us and facing his own goal, put the attacker on his arse, interchanged a series of passes with team mates, before we set off upfield and almost scored. What a goal that would have been!

A word about the away support. We filled the whole of the South stand behind the goal and were light-years away from the (rare) insipid crowd at the Emirates vs Luton last week. Very loud, multiple songs, incredible limbs and jostling. 

Back, finally, after going up hill and down dale again, in the car, we indulged ourselves with a first away curry since Nottingham Forest. It was in Burgess Hill, just North of Brighton. Is there anything like that first sip of ice cold Cobra on a parched throat? Back onto empty motorways and home by 11.45pm. 

What an away day! Now, who’s coming up next?