Goonerholics Forever

Arsenal and Liverpool kicked off their late afternoon title tilt (or whatever you call a 6-pointer at the top of the table) in front of a capacity crowd at Ashburton Grove. The teams provided a hell of a game for the fans both at the stadium and those watching on screen, including your humble scribe. In the end Arsenal ran out 3-1 winners, having suffered somewhat but through the course of the game nearly dominated a strong Liverpool side.

In somewhat of a unsurprising surprise Jesús was a late scratch, being replaced on the pitch by Havertz in the middle, with Rice slotting into the 8 and Jorginho holding. Mo’neny returned from his unsuccessful sojourn at the AFCON to anchor our bench.

Raya

White – Saliba – Gabriel – Zinchenko

Ødegaard – Jorginho – Rice

Saka – Jesus – Martinelli

Pool remained without Mo’Salah, and started with Nuñez on the bench, Klopp preferring Gakpo with Diaz and Jota up front.

Liverpool took the kickoff, and within a minute modeled the route that they would favor towards our goal, with a long ball over the top and our center halves just not quite dealing with it. I was afraid I’d barely settle into my coffee before we’d be down a goal. Then we slowly grew into holding Liverpool into their own half, and our pressing forcing mistakes by their ball carriers, leading to us winning it back in threatening positions.

We were continually interactive down the right, and had a couple of promising moves blocked out for corners or throws. Martinelli was a constant threat down the left, playing as he was 1v1 against Alexander-Arnold or Gomez. In our first real forward action Raya caught a ball from a ‘Pool shot and bowled it out to Gabi on the left, racing with it past Gomez to cross short of the byline to an onrushing Saka, who put his header wide right with the goal functionally unattended. It would have been a stellar goal, alas.

We nearly suffered after a series of longer passes, over the top, got Gakpo free to fire off a shot that avoided both Gabriel and Raya wide left. Gakpo was otherwise marshalled well by our central defenders and Zinchenko, earning hardly a sniff at all in the first half aside from that. Diaz was shut down by White nearly all half; this, combined with our mastery in the midfield, is why Liverpool were going over the top. On only one or two occasions our box-and-one in the middle of the field showed its soft center, but Mac Allister couldn’t take advantage of it before we got reorganized on defense. Our midfield shut theirs down, with Mø always forcing the ball away from Mac Allister and forcing his teammates to look for other (unproductive) options.

And then we broke through. We played some passes in defense back left, which ended up with Zinny on the ball at midfield. He passed to Mø in the center circle, who first-timed a bobbling but perfect throughball into the path of Havertz, who was sprinting between their center backs. Havertz put a hard shot into Alisson’s torso, which rebounded to the onrushing Saka; one touch to settle, and Saka put it into the top corner with aplomb.

Arsenal 1-0 Liverpool (Saka 13′)

After the goal the game settled into the pattern it would take for most of its final hour and a quarter, wth Arsenal defending stoutly from the front and Liverpool probing, occasionally trying something over the top. Arsenal could afford to play this way due to how Jorginho was absolutely bossing the space ahead of our defense, continually directing traffic and showing as an outlet. It was his best game for us since he came over from those mid-table Blues, I think. By ceding posession we controlled the game, and by and large Liverpool never really threatened; they did not have a shot on target all half.

Just before the half-hour mark Gomez pulled back Havertz and got a yellow for his troubles. Havertz had the ball from defense and was on his way with little ahead of him. Van Dijk missed a header from a TAA cross, then White was given a yellow for time-wasting at a throw. He is really poor at throws, takes long deliberation (this was not his first yellow), and often gives the ball right back to the other team. I wish someone would sort him out, it’s a continual source of frustration.

We then had a series of attempts that were blocked or missed, as the half wound down. As we entered stoppage time Gabigol took a shot that was blocked, and it was cycled by Liverpool downfield. A 1-2 between Gakpo and Diaz led to Diaz losing the ball in the box, shielded for Raya by Saliba. However, Raya was both slow to react and not brave enough to dive for the ball, and Saliba let Diaz get a foot on to it. He dinked a pass across the mouth of goal, which Gabriel’s hand inadvertently knocked into our net. If Raya had dived rather than wait for the ball to roll to him, and if Saliba had been stronger shielding Diaz off the ball, there would have been no goal. It was our worst moment of play in the game, and it came at perhaps the worst moment of the first half.

Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool (Gabriel OG, 45+3′)

Halftime: Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool

During halftime Mikel decided he’d opt for defense rather than passing prowess, in hopes of containing the expected flush of Liverpool’s second-half start, and brought on Kiwior for Zinchenko. And indeed, Liverpool’s energy was higher and they moved the ball more quickly, forcing Arsenal to the back foot for the first quarter hour. They could have scored twice in the first five minutes, but just couldn’t make their efforts, or their overall advantage of possession, count.

There were, however, some Rayas of Arsenal sunshine in spite (or because) of Liverpool pressing us back. Raya gathered, then came out of goal and put a fine ball to Gabi. After Arsenal did some ball recycling Havertz (who had a really good game himself, making repeated trouble for Konate and Van Dijk winning headers and threatening to break through their lines) fed Mø at the center top of the box for a hard shot that Konate deflected out for a corner, which came to nothing. Mac Allister bought a cheap freekick in the middle of our half, and Pool pushed much higher up into our defense in search of a goal.

On 55′ Konate drew yellow from referee Taylor, throwing Havertz to the ground when challenging for a long ball from Saka. The resulting freekick was taken from 40 yards out by Mø, and Gabriel sent a free header wide right. Two minutes later Gabriel saw yellow for a hand in Gakpo’s face. Nonetheless, our defense started to exert more and more pressure on the ball, and Liverpool’s only option was, seemingly, to substitute players: Nuñez for Gakpo, Robertson for TAA, and Elliott for Gravenberch. While they were coming on we saw lovely cameos from Theo and Giroud in the stands to watch the game. Welcome back!

Rice also had a really strong game. He was consistently winning the ball in the middle third of the pitch, occasionally driving the ball forward into the offence, other times cycling it within the defense as we sought to understand where to attack Liverpool’s weakest point. Rice did just the former on 60′, intercepting the ball in midfield, then driving forward before passing to Saka out right. Saka brought it in and fired a shot from the top of the box, deflected past Alisson’s goal; Havertz nearly turned in corner from Rice, but sent his header over the goal.

Allison and Raya trading long balls and possession until Kiwior hit it into touch with a poor touch under light pressure. It was his only real mistake of the day, otherwise he supported Gabi nicely, and played fine defense down their right. If we can keep getting him big game time he can develop into an even better option for our left back position. His passing range is, however, monotonic compared to the Symphony of Zinchenko; one can only hope as his game develops he can become more effective on the ball.

Gabi put a sweet ball into Havertz over the top, and Mac Allister took Havertz down in the box. Penalty? Not given on the field, and not overturned by VAR…though to be fair it was certainly a debatable call. Until that point of the second half Arsenal had played neither with flair nor control. Balls were being played first time that should have been trapped and sent along, passes were miscued, and with Liverpool upping the intensity of their press it was a bit of the fox among the chickens through 65 minutes.

And then the fox jumped off a box and into the farmer’s trap! From a free kick in our defensive half Gabriel sent a long, speculative ball over the top for Gabi to run onto. He went shoulder-to-shoulder wth Van Dijk, who could easily have cleared the ball. Van Dijk chose to leave it for the onrushing Alisson, who kicked his defender rather than the ball. Gabi was watching all of this with big eyes, and when the ball fell to his feet he simply turned and stroked it into the open net.

Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool (Martinelli, 67′)

Needless to say the crowd, who had been loud all game, stepped it up a notch from then on. That brought energy to our defensive effort again. Kiwior got a yellow for going through Jota (not-so-singularly anonymous all game), and in spite of continuing the nice interplay down the right with Saka Mø was consistently harrying Mac Allister, giving him no time on the ball or forcing his teammates to pass the ball back to defense and into a Liverpudlian horseshoe of death.

In the 74th minute Trossard came on for Gabigol, who had a really beautiful game. His freedom on the left was constant, and his decision-making showed a refined quality that will only make him better and better as he implements that quality more and more. Mø took a while to get up from a foul in their final third, and while he was down Pool got a corner. Mac Allister hit the result just wide after a fine Arsenal header away. During that sequence Saka went down, and was subbed after walking gingerly to the sideline. It seems he wasn’t hurt badly, but Arteta took no chances and brought Nelson on to finish the game.

By the time there were ten minutes left of the 90 Arsenal had regained a full measure of their earlier control, and all Liverpool could muster were a Mac Allister potshot from outside the box and a poorly-taken snaphot by Nuñez from within the box. A long ball to Havertz came to nought, but to a man Arsenal continued to play stellar defense: Mø was everywhere, Jorginho reminding me of Gilberto Silva, and Kiwior was battling Gomez and other comers again and again. White kept Diaz in his back pocket. From a Liverpool corner Gabriel headed it to safety, and we broke slowly, moving the ball out right where Mø fed in a cross to Kiwior just above the penalty spot; his header was straight at Alisson, though it could have been the third goal had Kiwior headed it nearly anywhere else on frame.

In the 85th Thiago returned from hip surgery to replace Gomez, and we allowed Liverpool the run of the ball, pressing lower until they were past the center circle, then jumping on them. A fine defensive clearance to Havertz left Konate with few options; Havertz slipped the ball neatly by Konate to drive forward, and the Liverpool defender had to put his arm up onto Havertz to stop the break. Konate’s second yellow meant he was gone, and suddenly Arsenal were playing against 10 men.

After a foul was not called on Gabriel in the center circle (it was a foul, should have been called, and possibly resulted in a second yellow for Gabriel) Nuñez received a yellow for arguing. I think we were lucky there. The board was raised announcing 7 minutes of stoppage time, which got the heart going even faster. Saliba was given a yellow for time wasting over a free kick, which resulted in a useless long ball.

In the second minute of stoppage time we got the ball down the left to Trossard, who was martialled by Elliot and Diaz. Some neat footwork and a dink and run forward by Trossard and he was free of the Liverpool men, bearing down on Alisson’s goal. He snapped either a shot or a cross (I think a shot, but two Arsenal players were haring down to the far side of the box…) that hit the underside of Van Dijk‘s boot and nutmegged Alisson for a laughable, exciting, and relieving third goal. It was f&#!ing AWESOME. Van Dijk gave only a half-assed attempt to block it, and that it 5-holed Alisson was glorious. Arteta’s reaction (à la Usain Bolt) illustrated just how important was this goal!

Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool (Trossard, 90+2′)

And that was it. In the 94th we saw some yellow Rice for his scything down of Diaz, and in the 95th for Havertz, having knocked the foul flag out of the linesman’s hand. Pool scrambled in the remaining minutes, but Arsenal’s defense remained well-organized. Kiwior was again called upon to keep Diaz in check, and he did, with the last kick of the game going into their half.

Full time: Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool

Liverpool are a great team, deserving of their first place standing. And Arsenal are a great team, deserving of both their win and current second-place standing. This was a game of high intensity, the teams forcing mistakes on their opponent, a game with moments for Arsenal of both team and individual brilliance making up the nature of the final scoreline. Arsenal rose to the occasion with a grit and determination that we’ve seen at times this season, and with a fluidity of thought and play that we’ve seen at times this season. But this was really the first full game in which those were alloyed with an adverturous spirit and the racous support of our supporters into a steel that could lead us to the title come May.

Our defensive play, from front to back, effectively neutralized Gackpo, Mac Allister, Jota, Nuñez, and Diaz as scoring threats, it was a masterful job of team setup by Arteta and execution by every single Arsenal player to nullify Klopp’s strategies. As noted above Liverpool didn’t get a shot on target in the first half; they had only one all game! Arsenal’s team had no passengers today, no one hid: it was such a pleasure to watch *this* team at *this* time mix the overall game control with moments of fluid brilliance.

And at the end, who couldn’t love Mø taking pics of Stuart MacFarlane with the latter’s own camera, then grabbing it back when he wasn’t satisfied with his first effort. That’s our captain!

I like Nottingham. All the Midlands games are amongst my favourites, Villa, Leicester, Wolves. But I particularly like coming to Nottingham. In West Bridgeford, for those of a sporting inclination, you are spoilt for choice. On the river Trent, athletic looking men and women propel row boats around, although, in January, it’s a chilly old pursuit. Dominating the scene as you come over the bridge from the City proper is the grand and historic old cricket ground of Trent Bridge, where I have tickets to watch a day of the test match against the West Indies in July (I will also be watching cricket at Lords and the Oval. These are the activities, together with watching The Arsenal, inter alia, that fill the days of a retired and sport loving gentleman. For those of you still punching the clock I say to you, your time will come). In late January, Trent Bridge shivers and waits for summer, but takes part in the winter sporting life by opening its car parks and hostelries for those going to the football at Forest or Notts County, just the other side of the river.

The City ground is just 10 minutes from Trent Bridge – more of that shortly. But first on the agenda was food and an old favourite. Hard by Trent Bridge, opposite the Trent Bridge Inn (now, alas, a Weatherspoon’s. O tempora! O mores!) lies the Bombay, Bridgeford . We pushed open the door and immediately walked into enticing aromas and, at 5.45 before a 7.30 kick off, absolutely heaving, with every table taken, mostly by folk in Forest replica shirts. Luckily, anticipating this, I had booked and we were quickly shown to our table. Poppadum’s and Cobra beer were quickly served. The first mouthful of Cobra, as always, hit the spot. We gave our attention to the menu, which is broad and eclectic, the standard dishes mixed in with ones you will never have heard of. We ordered curries, dhals, rice and of course naan breads. The naan breads at the Bombay are the best I have had in this country and, as regular readers will know, I have some experience in these matters. The service was impeccable and all the food tasty.

As we reached the filling up corners stage the team news came in. To our delight, ESR was in the starting XI. Declan and big Gabi made it through their late fitness tests. Replete, and ready for football, we paid up and made our way to the City ground. Forest’s home, like all the most evocative grounds, is reached through streets of terraced houses. The set up for away fans is perfect, giving us about two thirds of the Bridgeford lower tier. We were towards the corner flag, about nine rows back, with a fine view. Around 2800 enthusiastic Gooners joined us (more than 5% of the capacity as is normal – naturally we sold out our full allocation at, I believe, 15 credits). Now we all know that, as a club, Forest’s zenith was in the late 70s, early 80s when, under Clough and Taylor, they won the league and the European Cup (twice). Their pre match big screen entertainment focused almost exclusively on this era, with the green sweat shirted sardonic features of Brian Clough seen extensively.

As the game began, with Arsenal kicking away from us, a ritual call and response is required by contract when we visit Forest or Villa (West Ham have started doing it as well which is, frankly, risible)

Champions of Europe! You’ll never sing that!

Champions of Europe! You weren’t even born!

Exchanges complete, we settled into the game. A familiar pattern quickly emerged. Forest fell into a disciplined low block, with little enthusiasm to get forward. We made lots of passes, had a huge amount of possession (about 80%) but we rarely tested Arsenal old boy Matt Turner, were a bit slow recycling the ball and seemed to be trying to score the perfect goal (never heard that before). Smith–Rowe was bright and effective and almost played Jesus in but he put it just over. Gooners were supportive and loud in their singing but there was a feeling of frustration as the half time whistle went with the game scoreless. It appeared that we are still struggling with the low block. We were firing in shots but they were being blocked.

Halftime: Forest 0-0 Arsenal

We started the second half much better, moving the ball quicker and swapping our front three around to pull the defenders out of position. Ǿdegaard was everywhere, pressing hard, recycling the ball, involved in everything. Saka was looking dangerous, Martinelli less so. I increasing think I would like to see Martinelli and Jesus swap positions.

But we were getting behind the Forest defence as they tired and we raised our level. Ǿdegaard laid in Saka who struck a good right foot shot, partially deflected, towards the corner of the goal. We were right in line with it and it took a good save from Turner to deny our golden boy. A lovely piece of football saw interplay between Saka and Ǿdegaard before Jesus was laid in on the six yard line. He struck his shot with power, but it rebounded from the junction of the post and the bar. Should have scored really.

The pressure and our patience was telling. Our forward press, led by Ǿdegaard and Rice, kept winning the ball back in the Forest half. On 65 minutes we forced a throw in on the Forest right. Zinchenko took a quick throw in to Jesus in space in the area (when I watched a replay of the game this morning I heard the TNT commentator say “the flag stays down”. Of course it stayed down you numpty. You can’t be offside from a throw in). Jesus did what we’ve been imploring the team to do which was to drive in on goal and shoot. His powerful shot squeezed through Matt Turner’s legs (I say credit a great finish) and we were one up.

From the Bridgeford lower after the limbs had subsided, an aria rose into the cold Nottingham air.

Oh Mik Arteta called him.
Said now’s your time to shine.
‘Cos I’m collecting Gabi’s
And I’m going to make you mine!
They say he walks on water
And turns it into wine
Oh I believe in Jesus
He’s Arsenal’s number nine!

Forest 0-1 Arsenal (Jesus 65 minutes)

We were moving smoothly through the transitions as Forest pushed forwards. Another great move saw Jesus to Ǿdegaard to Saka (this combo worked so well last night) whose fierce shot was blocked. After 70 minutes Havertz came on for ESR who had made an excellent contribution.

Forest gave the ball away badly in midfield. Ǿdegaard picked the ball up and put Jesus away on the left. He made ground rapidly and made an excellent pass to Saka, unmarked in the inside right position in the box. He took one touch and then rifled in a right footed shot into the corner of the net. Turner had no chance. A great goal.

This time it really was pandemonium in the Bridgeford end. We were sure that was the winner. And when everything calmed down and glasses and phones had been retrieved, Saka’s song rent the air.

Bukayo
Saka!
Running down the wing
Saka!
Hear the Arsenal sing
Saka!
We’re gonna win the league!

Forest 0-2 Arsenal (Saka 72 minutes)

Now the choir was in full voice. We ran through the repertoire, including informing the Forest fans that they had only come to see The Arsenal. And of course that we won the league at Anfield, we won it at the Lane, Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford (no-one can say the same). So Paddy got up got a rare airing.

As the clock ticked around to 77 minutes, Jesus, who had been excellent, came off for Eddie, and Martinelli left for Trossard. We learnt later that Jesus had been carrying a knock but insisted on playing. He was the game changer. I love watching Jesus.

Well we’ll just see it out we all thought and we were almost right. Trossard looked very lively, making space for shots and holding the ball up well. Until, in the 89^th minute, a long diagonal went over Zinny’s head (a reprise of the AA/Salah goal from earlier in the season). The ball was headed towards the penalty spot and Awoniyi bodied Saliba out of the way and tucked it past Raya.

Forest 1-2 Arsenal (Awoniyi 89 minutes)

We faced 5 plus several minutes of added on time. We faced one more test of nerve as some head tennis in our area bobbled about but finished safely in Raya’s hands. The final whistle went and it was celebrations all round. Ben White and Zinny were having words at the final whistle. Arteta said he doesn’t mind that and the players have to hold each other to account. I 100% agree.

Full time: Forest 1-2 Arsenal

A big win. Not the perfect performance, but taken on balance we played well. We found a way. Plaudits to Jesus, Ǿdegaard, Rice and Saka. Partey due to come back in. Liverpool awaits on Sunday.

The M1 played silly buggers on the way home but we were back indoors by midnight.

A good, if not great away day out in West Bridgeford.

I got my first car as a college sophomore. It was the missing piece in my freedom puzzle. A 1988 black, Plymouth Reliant K-Car sedan with red, leather interior; that car shuttled me around north Florida and up and down the U.S. east coast during most of the 1990s. It ran great but, occasionally, the engine just wouldn’t start no matter what I did. The Arsenal of this past Festive period (especially the part where we failed to put the ball in the back of the net) called to mind memories of the Black Hornet when the damned engine just wouldn’t start. 

The Lineups.

After winless results from our last three premier league matches, we needed to take all three points hosting a hapless Palace team. I admit, however, the team news of Trossard starting in place of Martinelli didn’t convince me that we would begin the game with all pistons firing. As we’ll see, that substitution might turn out to have been a master stroke. Arteta relied on a now familiar formation at the kick-off:

          Raya

White—Saliba—Gabriel—Zinchenko

        Ødegaard—Rice—Havertz

            Saka—Jesus—Trossard

I am unsure what to actually say about Palace. Although I have no time for the way they treated Vieira, I still have a soft spot for the Eagles. Selhurst Park is one of the grounds I have personally attended (a solid venue), and Roy Hodgson seems a reasonably honorable man. A longtime servant of the game, he just seems to be that guy who always has a few Werther’s Originals at the ready in his coat pocket. You know…for the kids. But, that said, Palace have been so poor. Injuries, questionable personnel moves, and a toothless attack have transformed a solidly mid-table team into one, I fear, destined for a relegation scrap. Happily for us, Roy set-up to constrict central spaces and perhaps eke out a draw:

    Mateta

Eze—Hughes—Lerma— Schlupp

  Mitchell—Guehi—Andersen—Richards—Clyne

    Henderson

Perhaps it was the lack of Dubai’s sun and warmth or maybe it was the angst of expectation, but, after a rousing, scarf-waiving rendition of North London Forever, Arsenal’s attack didn’t exactly roar to life. We possessed the ball, probed, and recycled. Ødegaard did Ødegaard-things, Jesus did Jesus-things, and we took the territory meekly offered by Palace. Our offensive engine did threaten to sputter to life as the lively Benjamin White made some confident, early passes over the top to Saka, as well as a couple of bold overlapping runs and Trossard won a corner from an incisive Zinchenko line-splitting pass. It’s obvious now that, while the gaffer was visiting Salt Bae, set-piece coach Nicolas Jover was busily putting the lads through their paces in Dubai. Rice’s enticing delivery, and a pick scheme that would have made Bill Laimbeer proud, allowed our under-appreciated sparkplug, Gabriel (Big Gabby) to head home at the far post.

Arsenal 1 – Crystal Palace 0.

After the precedent set by the VAR debacle at St. James’ Park (you know, that two hands pushing into Big Gabby’s neck is not enough of a foul to rule out a goal), imagine my consternation as the stalwarts of competition integrity in Stokely Park contrived to take several minutes to review a manifestly good goal. I went to kitchen to make myself toast and a coffee.

Ten minutes later (I kid, I kid), being unable to find a reason to deny, again, a manifestly good goal, the scoreline was affirmed…and we celebrated again.

Palace roused a bit, and solid play from the serviceable Eze forced the Arsenal backline to pass the ball a bit too much in our final third for my liking. From one of these episodes, Saliba (cooler than the underside of the pillow) Cruyff-turned in our penalty area and passed to Raya who, despite not much pressure, “cleared” the ball straight to the opposition. Raya’s mistake created one of Palace’s only threats of the game as Lerma forced Raya into a good save at his near post. Arsenal increased their intensity, pushed Palace back, and won another corner…this time from the right. Saka dutifully provided the floated cross to the far post, and picks from Trossard (big credit to the wee lad for going in amongst the “trees”) and White again freed Big Gabby at the far post to nod home off the back of Henderson’s noggin.

Again, VAR contrived to give the supporters at the ground a chance to join the queue for a pint (and give yours truly time to fix a delicious breakfast sammich of bacon, egg and cheese on brioche), but could find no rationale to rule out the goal. As a Parthian shot, however, the Dubious Goals Committee acted swiftly to award the score as an own-goal. Notwithstanding this slight, Gabriel was immense on this day. His intelligence, his physical presence and his competitive fire sparked us to life. It’s up to us to keep that fire going in the second half of this season.

HT: Arsenal 2 – Crystal Palace 0.

As the second half kicked off, my feelings mirrored those I saw on Arsenal X, nee Twitter. The two goals were great, just what the doctor ordered, but our attack was still sputtering. Our three forwards, although active, hadn’t put the ball in the back of the net. We needed Saka and Jesus to get going. This time, Raya, making amends for his errant first-half clearance, claimed a speculative cross from Hughes and set Jesus free with an excellent toss. Jesus exploded down the right and played an inch-perfect “squared-ball” to an onrushing Trossard. Trossard, having acres of space in the middle of the park, sat Clyne down and fired the ball into the stranded Henderson’s net. What a finish! An open-play goal, the likes of which we hadn’t seen in weeks.

Arsenal 3 – Crystal Palace 0.

The third goal really knocked the stuffing out of the Eagles and provided an opportunity for several substitutions (speaking of stuffing, did you know that Benjamin Franklin advocated the turkey as the U.S. National Bird…not the Bald Eagle?) After a knock, Big Gabby was replaced by Kiwior. ESR came on for Havertz; Nketiah spelled Jesus; Martinelli replaced Trossard; and, most worryingly, Jorginho subbed on for Rice who, evidently, complained of hamstring tightness (at the time of writing, there was no further update on Rice’s injury status). Now, to be clear, these substitutions did not all occur contemporaneously. Indeed, Smith-Rowe’s most dangerous contribution took place from a slightly overhit Jesus pass. Smith-Rowe was unable to control the pass for a shot, but he made a solid thirty-minute cameo and a case for more playing time. Kiwior did Kiwior-things, and Jorginho and Nketiah both made solid contributions (more on this anon).

More interestingly, and disregarding the sample size of one, I wonder if Arteta chose this match to experiment with bringing Martinelli off the bench to run at tired legs. Trossard was subbed off in the sixty-ninth minute, and Martinelli’s pace immediately brought Arsenal’s offensive engine roaring to life. Midway through stoppage time, Eze lost the ball on the Palace attacking left, Nketiah drove at the stuttering Palace backline, and played an exquisite through-ball to Martinelli. The medium-sized Gabby accelerated into the box, opened his hips, and, channeling the great Henry himself, passed the ball around the hapless Henderson into the far corner of the net. Cue celebratory limbs.

Arsenal 4 – Crystal Palace 0.

As Palace vainly looked to the heavens for a savior (Jesus, however, was already safely ensconced on our bench) and Roy fumbled in his coat pockets for another piece of hard candy, Jorginho enabled the coup de grâce. Just a minute or so after the goal, Saliba collected a Henderson clearance and passed the ball off to Jorginho who clipped it over the weary Palace back four into Martinelli’s path. The lad had his Ferrari engine purring as he reprised his initial strike with another Henry-esque bending finish. Bravo!

FT Arsenal 5 – Crystal Palace 0.

The final whistle mercifully came. The Palace fans unfurled several banners decrying Yank ownership and a lack of shared vision. I can empathize, but I did feel for Roy who cut a lonely figure on the touchline staring forlornly at those expressions of opprobrium. However, I am not a Palace supporter, and this, thankfully, is not a Palace blog…so, take that you Eaglets!

Conclusion.

We needed this performance and these three points. I can hardly believe I need to say this, but we’ve only four losses. We’re only two points off the top spot, and there are so many games left to play. With any luck, this victory will be the octane-booster we need to get the forwards scoring again. I was intrigued to see Saka switching to the left several times during this match. Perhaps that can give the offense a different look? Maybe Trossard and Reiss-Nelson can provide the left-side opening act that sets the table for Martinelli to give us thirty-five or forty minutes of hell-for leather attack? Maybe Smith-Rowe or a returning Vieira can help preserve Ødegaard’s cutting edge? If we get a few returns from the injury table and put together a good run of wins, who knows what could happen?

If you start us up…(maybe) we’ll never stop.

MCMBD.