Lest you get the idea that the title refers to the tactics of the Spanish Inquisition, I must nip that notion in the bud immediately [nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition! — eds.]. That is to say, early-harvest extra virgin olive oil is made this time of year from Andalusian olives that are harvested as they darken from green to purple, so seeing as the harvest time is now I thought it fitting to observe the stages of the ripening olive, and imagine the purple one as an Arsenal win. Needless to say, we don’t want a green one in Wednesday’s home Champions League game against Sevilla but a half purple olive would keep us near the top of Group B after our excellent win in Seville that was powered by the brilliance of Gabriel Martinelli and the injured Gabriel Jesus. But for the Gunners to get a decent draw in the knockout round they must top the group, making three points a near imperative. With six points Arsenal lead Lens by a single point with the French side facing PSV away in the evening’s other game. Sevilla and PSV are level on two points but the Dutchmen have an inferior goal difference, the result of their 0-4 loss in North London in Arsenal’s only home match to date.
The astute reader will have noticed more than three olives pictured above, and as we saw on Saturday at Newcastle every game has more possible outcomes than simply win, lose or draw. In a match that should have ended 0-0 the referees awarded Newcastle a goal that never should have stood as Gabriel was shoved in the back when in position to clear, and Arsenal’s brilliantly resolute defensive performance went for nought. Difficult as it must be to recover psychologically from such an injustice in a few days’ time, Arsenal must take the positives from that game and quickly refocus on a very different competition and opponent. The confidence gained from knowing that Newcastle would not have won without the referee’s intervention should count for something, a little like the olive with just a hint of purple on the end.
The Oily Opposition
Having won just two of their opening eight games in La Liga, and drawn their first two group stage matches, Sevilla sacked Jose Luis Mendilibar a month ago after just seven months on the job during which he presided over their seventh Europa League title win. Sevilla dismissed the old olive picker with the club placed 14th in La Liga, and replaced him with Uruguayan Diego Alonso, but after drawing his first three league games in charge they are currently down in 15th spot so it appears the Andalusians are still awaiting their new manager bounce.
Before his first game in charge Alonso had to decide whether to build his team around legendary defender Sergio Ramos, who had been in and out of the team under the previous boss. The 37 year old Ramos returned to Sevilla, his boyhood club, after winning five league titles and four European Cups with Real Madrid. Ramos featured in Sevilla’s team against Madrid, against Arsenal at home, and at Cadiz on October 28 when Sevilla fought back to draw 2-2 after conceding twice as the team errantly tried to play out from the back. During the week Sevilla did some hard traveling for a Copa del Rey win at minnows Quintanar in the eastern province of Cuenca, and for Saturday’s league match at Galician side Celta where they scored late to draw 1-1 after their relegation candidate hosts had a player sent off. Ramos was rested for both of those games so it is likely he will be in the team against Arsenal.
In the first group stage match between these clubs, played two weeks ago at a rainy Estadio Sanchez-Pizjuan (see Countryman100’s excellent match report, “Outstanding Jesus Ensures Big Arsenal Win in Spain“), Martinelli and Jesus each scored a spectacular goal as Arsenal took a big 2-1 away win. Jesus’ assist for Martinelli’s goal, scored just before halftime, was a thing of beauty. Ten minutes after halftime Jesus doubled the lead, unleashing a ferocious drive into the top corner. Unfortunately, Jesus came off late in the second half with an injured hamstring and is not expected to be available for some time. Sevilla halved the deficit a few minutes later but Arsenal held firm to see out the win.
Arsenal XI
I expect Mikel Arteta will pick his perceived strongest team for this all-important game, and based on his selection patterns and the players he has available I expect it to look something like this:
Raya White — Saliba — Gabriel — Zinchenko Havertz — Ødegaard — Rice Saka — Nketiah — Martinelli
The only changes I might make would be to bring in Ramsdale for Raya, and Tomiyasu for Zinchenko but Arteta is certainly not likely to drop the Spanish goalie now if he hasn’t dropped him already so I’m hoping for big performances from Raya and also from Havertz, who seemed to bring a modicum of mojo to his game at St. James’ Park a few days ago.
The ‘Holics Pound
By all means cheer on the Arsenal loudly and proudly as the occasion must demand. If my prediction of a 1-0 home win (with Eddie Nketiah doing the goal scoring honors) comes through for you, don’t forget the olive in your post-match victory Martini, unless of course a Negroni is the featured item on your celebratory cocktail menu. I’ll be lifting a sparkling water myself, but much as eggs must be hatched, we mustn’t savour our drinks until they are shaken or stirred, as the case may be.
Normally, I try to write my reports as soon after the game as possible. But given the way we lost yesterday’s game, I have chosen to wait until the morning so I can avoid making knee jerk reactions.
But now I have slept on it, and it seems even more ridiculous, I won’t talk much about the game itself because the VAR decision is what we are all concerned with. Arsenal played ok. They didn’t perform badly. Arteta instructed his players to contain this frenzied Newcastle side and regardless of the result, they did a good job in that regard. Other than the goal that should not have stood, Saudi Sportswashers created next to nothing.
The same could be said of Arsenal but they were the away team. The onus was on Newcastle as the home side, a big club as the media keep telling us. Yet it was Arsenal who had more possession and more passes in the final third. However, in terms of genuine chances there is little to report. The game changing moment came just after the hour mark. Jacob Murphy’s wayward shot looked to have gone out of play, but the ref waved play on, a cross came in, Joelinton pushed Gabriel, and controlled the ball with his arm and Antony Gordon tapped home from a couple of yards out. VAR checked for three incidents.
Did the ball go out of play? Yes, but there were apparently no conclusive angles, whatever that means.
Was it a foul by Joelinton on Gabriel? Well, I don’t know if placing both hands on someone’s back is a natural jumping position but the wise lads at Stockley Park certainly seemed to think so. Who are we to question their infinite wisdom?
Was Gordon offside? Given they change the offside rule every week, depending on whichever side they have decided is going to win today, they couldn’t possibly have known the answer to that. Just go with your gut feeling, lads.
Apparently, they were all fine. In fact, there was indeed a fourth incident they should’ve checked which was Joelinton’s handling of the ball in the build-up. I’m sure they would’ve made up some abstract nonsense as to why that was also within the rules.
After that, we huffed and puffed but we couldn’t break down the Saudi Public Investment Fund Stoke as we suffered our first league defeat since May. Arteta was quite rightly furious with the decisions and did not hold back in his post-match interviews.
“We have to talk about the result because we have to talk about how the Hell this goal stands. I feel embarrassed. It is a disgrace.”
I mean is he wrong? No, because this is merely the latest in a long list of disgraceful decisions. It has got to the point where correct decisions get overly praised because they are so rare. If you have this level of support from your peers and the available technology and you are still getting decisions consistently wrong you must ask yourself if there is in fact something bigger going on here. Because let’s be honest, it is not a difficult job.
Arteta will no doubt get a ban for this when he is merely speaking the truth. A few short weeks ago, Man United had a goal ruled out against Brighton as Marcus Rashford’s cutback was correctly adjudged to have gone out of play. That ball was as every bit over the line as it was yesterday. So, what’s changed? What is the difference? This decision will cost us points just as we were cheated out of two points when they “forgot to draw the lines” against Brentford. Or when Martinelli’s goal at Old Trafford was ruled out for a non-existent foul.
But let us be clear on this; it is not just Arsenal. The entire league is affected by this. Consider the above United goal that was ruled out. And how can anyone forget Luis Dias’ perfectly fine goal being ruled out for no apparent reason. Yesterday it was our turn to be the victims of yet another VAR cock up and next week it will be someone else’s turn. How long will this be allowed to continue? This is a league of fine margins as Arteta said and we cannot afford for games to be decided by others.
We are at a point where the 22 men on the field are no longer the centre of attention. It is now all about the man in the middle, the linesmen, and their cronies at Stockley Park. People want to watch sport, not a never-ending soap opera. Many other sports have similar technology, and it functions smoothly – rugby, cricket, tennis to name a few. So, what makes football so different? Is it the money involved?
These decisions have an impact on who wins the league, who gets a European spot, who stays up, who goes down. These are not insignificant things. This is about the integrity of the sport of which there seems to be little these days. Quite how it is allowed for two clubs in the same league to be bankrolled by nation states, let alone one, is beyond me. We very nearly had a third. And now, the nation that owns the club we played yesterday has been “awarded” the chance to host the 2034 World cup, less than a year after the nation that bankrolls PSG, and if they had their way, Man United as well, hosted the last one. Well, there we have it. The ultimate act of sportswashing.
So where do we go from here? Normally after a loss we assess what went wrong, how we can improve and we look ahead to the next fixture. On Wednesday night, we will host Sevilla in the Champions League and all the focus will shift to that. Because that’s where football is at now. Incorrect decisions are made and then we all just accept it and move on. Hopefully what Arteta has said will start to change that. Because if we lose our integrity and sense of justice what do we really have left?
Be warned! This is a long read. If you wish to ignore history, start seven paragraphs below. But, reader beware! You know what they say about the consequences of that!
Saturday sees The Arsenal making the long trek to the New Castle of the distant Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A town with a long history that began while the ancestors of the ruling elite in that benighted land were simply the most successful local tribe at stealing land, sheep, camels and women from neighbouring tribes. A geological accident/stroke of luck transformed them from lowly, but aggressive, camel-traders and sheep herders into predatory multi-billionaires who have decided to buy world sport and as a result have changed the fortunes of this northern city’s broken-down, old football club.
The settlement in which Saudi Sportswashers ply their trade began in the 2nd century AD as Pons Aelius on the northern bank of the Tyne beside a bridge built by the Roman Emperor, Hadrian – an affiliation with questionable autocrats clearly started early. After the Romans departed, the settlement became Anglo-Saxon ‘Munucceaster’ but in 876 AD was destroyed by the Danes along with other settlements along the Tyne. However the strategic importance of the site was subsequently recognised by the Normans and Robert Curthose, son of William the Conquerer, built a wooden castle on the site in 1080 and the town was thereafter known as Novum Castellum until the Geordie language was invented, changing this to Neeeeewkasel.
Newcastle United FC was formed in 1892 by the absorption of Newcastle West End by Newcastle East End (somewhat prescient on a small geographical scale). Both clubs had been founded in 1881 and West End had played at St James Park since 1886 but had run into financial difficulties while East End became a professional team in 1889 and a limited company in 1890. No doubt an early, object lesson in the benefits of financially-focused leadership.
The ‘codes had a proud history until their recent transformation into a sports-washing vehicle for Saudi Arabia, a nation with an execrable human rights record whose leaders apparently believe that buying, promoting and hosting world-wide sports events and sporting clubs will distract the rest of the world from its repressive police state, Jamal Khashoggi’s murder and dismemberment, public beheadings, the war in Yemen (no marches for those casualties?), rampant misogyny including imprisonment of rape victims, homophobia, etc. Good luck with the World Cup in 2034, chaps. I won’t be watching.
The ‘codes’ proud history includes never dropping below the second tier since joining the Football League in 1893, spending 91 seasons in the top flight, being a member of the Premier League in all but three seasons since its inception in 1992 (when football began according to Sky TV), winning four League titles, six FA Cups, one Charity Shield and the 1968-69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (equivalent to the UEFA Conference League). This apparently represents the ninth best trophy haul by an English club.
However, success is a distant memory. Their most successful period was between 1904 and 1910 when they won three of their four league titles and an FA Cup. Their last major domestic trophy was the FA Cup in 1955. Hence an extended trophy drought in ‘Geordieland’ has generated huge hunger for success. Desperate circumstances call for desperate solutions and after all they had to live under the erratic ownership of Sports Direct autocrat, Mike Ashley for many years. So, don’t expect any criticism of Saudi policies from anyone on Tyneside. For many years, the team has run out to the Knopfler’s ‘Going Home’ from ‘Local Hero’ and the fans cling to their traditions by giving regular renditions of the local ditty ‘The Blaydon Races’ but if Saudi investment yields silverware, we might even expect the Geordies’ gratitude to extend to Saudi Sportswashers entering the field to a traditional Saudi dance.
At the time of writing, Saudi Sportswashers sit in 6th place in the Premier League table, 7 points behind the Arsenal. They have been playing catch up since losing 3 of their first 4 PL matches against Abou Dhabi Sportswashers, Liverpool FC and Brighton FC. Despite these early reverses, the ‘Washers looked strong in their opening game against Aston Villa FC, winning 5-1 and they have recovered that form recently with several big wins, not least in their destruction of Qatar Sportswashers in the Champions League and in victories over both Abou Dhabi Sportswashers and Manchester United FC in consecutive rounds of the League Cup. Only the 0-1 defeat to Abou Dhabi Sportswashers took place at St James’ Park which is, as last season, looking like a bit of a fortress.
Eddie Howe made 8 changes for Saudi Sportswashers’ impressive midweek 3-0 League Cup victory over a similarly changed but much less impressive Manchester United FC, resting almost his entire first XI with only Joelinton and Gordon keeping their places. There is little doubt that he had the Arsenal’s Saturday visit in mind as he picked his team, as of course did Mikel, but Howe’s B-team acquitted themselves considerably better than Mikel’s. However, Howe is not without injury problems: Botman, a rock in last season’s defence, has a knee injury and unknown return date; Murphy has a shoulder injury and unknown return date; Anderson is out with a back injury; Barnes is out with a toe injury; Isak is out with a groin injury. Meanwhile Tonali is banned until next season for serious betting offences in Italy.
However, we can expect Pope to be protected by almost the same man-mountain defence we faced last season with Lascelles replacing Botman alongside Trippier, Schär and Burn; a midfield containing Guimaraes, Longstaff, Gordon and Almirón or Willock (who returned from prolonged injury on Wednesday and scored a superb goal) with Wilson supported by Joelinton up front. Expect the ‘Washers to defend in depth if they concede possession then strike swiftly, converting 4-5-1 to 4-2-4. Almirón, Gordon and Wilson are all on hot streaks.
What can we expect from the Arsenal? We have seen mere glimpses of last season’s brio and silky interplay and have struggled to create chances in almost every game this season while failing to take many of those that we have created after much huffing and puffing and arcs of ennui. We have created (to my mind, unnecessary) controversy in our goalkeeping position, to the benefit of neither of our glove butlers. I am no expert. Both seem better than average keepers to me though neither is in Seaman’s or Lehmann’s class. Ramsdale has his faults but so too does Raya. I suspect that for Arteta, Raya’s calmness gives him the edge over Ramsdale’s emotional involvement and impetuosity. I am content to trust Arteta’s judgement. Will we see Ramsdale regain his shirt against the Geordie ‘Washers (I know! Contradiction in terms, eh?). I don’t think so. I think Arteta has made his decision. Raya is his number 1.
Earlier this season we experimented with Partey as an inverted right back, destabilising our central defence in the process, so the silver lining of yet another unfortunate absence of the big midfielder is that that particular experiment has to be shelved. However our ongoing and now widely known, and targeted, use of Zinchenko as an inverted left back, leaving acres of space on our left flank, forcing Gabriel wide to cover that space thus leaving another big gap in central defence that the excellent Saliba must move left to cover or the very impressive Declan Rice must drop back to cover, unless we play the vastly experienced but painfully slow Jorginho as a second deep lying midfielder. There is little doubt that, even with the peripatetic Zinchenko popping up at inside right as often as he appears at left back, the combination of Rice and Partey in midfield made us more secure defensively and balanced our offensive and defensive strengths but, of course, that is not currently an option. Zinchenko did add hugely to our midfield control and offensive threat last season but seems less effective this season probably because this tactic is now being countered by smart opposition coaches. Tomiyasu clearly displays more competence in the defensive aspects of the inverted LB role and still contributes significantly to its offensive aspects and fills me, if not also the Arsenal defence, with much more confidence that our left flank is covered effectively.
Up front, we have had to cope with a series of injuries to last season’s key players and once again it’s Jesús’ turn to keep the treatment room busy. This is doubly unfortunate as he had only just returned from surgery for a knee problem, won us the game against Sevilla FC with a superb assist and a wonderful goal before limping off with a hamstring injury that will probably keep him out until December. Doubts about Nketiah’s ability adequately to substitute for Jesús were allayed for some by his excellent hat trick against Sheffield United FC but revived by his all too familiar unproductive toil against West Ham United FC. At least Martinelli appears to have regained full fitness and has been our most potent threat in recent games while Saka appeared to have recovered some of his bounce against the Blades. Neither player really had time to influence that turgid second half display against the Spammers and neither had any impact (nor did Rice). However, Ødegaard’s arrival did change the game and he appeared to be back to his pre-Interlull energy, verve and drive. Hopefully that resurrection is permanent – make sure to touch the hem of Jesús’ jacket, Martin!
And so we come to Der Elefant in das Zimmer! Here too, I am in the ‘trust Arteta camp’. I thought Havertz substituted ably for Ødegaard as our right-sided ‘number 8’ against Sheffield United FC. OK, it was against the bottom team but he had a very influential game in the exact position in which he made his name in Germany. While I agree that Andrew’s description of him on Arseblog as looking like an ‘awkward foal’ during our generally limp display in the second half at the Council Stadium was quite apt, most players in that awful yellow shirt looked like rabbits in headlights in that second half. In fact, their misplaced passes made them look totally blinded by headlights. While it would clearly be better if Havertz could make regular assists and score a few goals, I think his contributions to our build up play, his movement to draw or lose defenders, his availability in attacking positions and his defensive work tracking back make him a useful team player. The fee is not his fault. I don’t think he is the mistake some other in this august establishment suggest. I am confident that he will come good.
Post-match pictures and interviews after our 2-0 victory at St James’ Park last May revealed Howe and his coaching team to be beside themselves with frustration and anger as they clearly saw us as the team they were most likely to displace at the top of the table. That was what had motivated them to blow us away a year earlier when, faced by their aggression and energy and the bear-pit atmosphere from the envy-driven crowd, we wilted and, as a result, dropped out of the Champions League places. Despite last season’s early successes and stylish play, our mauling against Abou Dhabi Sportswashers just 10 days before we travelled to St James’ in May led them to believe that they would make the Arsenal team wilt again but our ballsy performance and 2-0 victory shocked, silenced and enraged them.
We have to expect the same bear-pit atmosphere, aggression and physical challenges all over the pitch. Each player has to win his personal duels if we are to take anything from this game. We have to be ready for an aerial bombardment in our box and a wall of giants dealing with any attempt by us to use the same tactic. Nimble feet, quick passing and give-&-go will be more effective against this defence (think of Brighton’s tactics) than high balls into or across the box though it would be a good time for Havertz to display his aerial threat to productive effect as well as to add defensive height at set pieces.
Make no mistake, beating the Arsenal is a cause célèbre for the Geordies. Those always swaggering, often corpulent, half-naked, broon-ale swigging, tattooed, incomprehensible, northern bar stewards see the Arsenal, its players and fans as pampered, ‘southern softies’ and hope to sacrifice our title ambitions to their ancient Norse God, Odin or perhaps to their new desert God, PIF. We have to respond with the courage, grit, guile, opportunism and determination that we displayed in May rather than the shock and indecision of 2022. Of course, we had Jesús in the team in May though Partey was absent until replacing Ødegaard on 80 minutes to close out the game at 2-0. This time we just have to do it without Jesús.
After that long ramble, I should name my expected starting eleven:
Raya
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu
Ødegaard, Jorginho, Rice
Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli
If I was the coach, I would start Havertz rather than Nketiah because his height, movement and nimble feet might be decisive. I do think Havertz will give more problems than Nketiah will to the big centre backs we will face on Saturday. However I expect Arteta to start Nketiah and, in truth, he has been more effective when he has started than when brought on as a substitute and on that basis and the confidence that his hat-trick will have given him, I guess Nketiah will get the nod. I hope he has a great game!
This Holic’s pound is still going to Ukraine. I don’t care what the Bookie’s say. Have you ever met a poor Bookie? I’d rather give my hard-earned to help resist the Russian fascists than buy a new villa for a Bookmaker.
I can’t see a goal fest. 1-0 to the Arsenal would be a triumph. A draw would be a very respectable result.
It’s going to be a scrap. We need to stand up to their aggression and find and exploit their weaknesses. Expect an abundance of nervous moments. Courage mes braves!
Sometimes one feels one is fated not to win and everything seems to go wrong. This was one of those nights for Arsenal as they stumbled to a hugely disappointing defeat in this Carabao Cup last 16 tie. Arsenal’s record in the League Cup, which has had many guises since it’s inception in 1961, is not stellar and tonight it was hard to decide if we actually wanted to forge forward towards a Wembley final or to free up space in a crowded programme where we are already recording more injuries than is healthy for our chances in major competitions. I’d like to see the League Cup as a pre-season competition. It would generate interest and income and provide sides with a chance of an early season trophy.
When I heard Smith Rowe had missed training my heart sank. I like the lad but he is fragility itself and one has to wonder whether someone so injury prone can ever be factored into Arteta’s long-term plans. He missed out today. We went with a side that showed wholesale changes from Saturday’s cakewalk against Sheffield United. White retained his role as did Kiwior, Gabriel provided some steel and Zinchenko started at left back but, as is his way (under instruction), rarely played there. Our midfield looked lightweight. Jorginho, about our eighth captain of the season, played alongside Vieira and Kai Havertz was no 10. Hat-trick hero Eddie Nketiah retained his place with Nelson and Trossard on the wings.
We looked the dominant side early on with West Ham, formerly one of the most creative and productive developers of football talent in England content to sit back and go long. An early chance from a free kick saw a good header from Havertz flicked over by Fabianski. A corner at the other end was more productive but not for us. Bowen drove it in and Ben White flicked it past Ramsdale who was clearly being fouled . No VAR meant that the chance of a referee like the hapless Simon Hooper getting the decision right was minimal .
West Ham 1 Arsenal 0 – White (own goal), 16
Havertz moved into a threatening position immediately afterwards but failed to develop the opportunity and Nketiah should have done better after Zinchenko turned the ball across the area. But Arsenal’s build up play was ponderous and repetitive and lacked the thrust that a Saka or Ødegaard might have provided.
Half-time:West Ham 1 Arsenal 0
Immediately after the interval Bowen was slipped through a static defence after Jorginho’s hesitancy gifted dangerous possession to West Ham. Ramsdale made a fine save and White scooped the ball off the line.
Shortly afterwards, Kudus fastened onto a long ball, beat the weak challenge of Zinchenko (a left back, really?) and with Gabriel more intent on avoiding handball, flashed a shot into the far corner.
West Ham 2 Arsenal 0 – Kudus, 50
Alan Smith called the two goals soft and avoidable and the game highlighted just how inadequate some of our second string players are. One’s heart went out to the faithful Arsenal fans who had trekked to Stratford in indifferent weather to watch a team that were failing to match the physicality of their opponents. Poor Havertz (I’m not sure if I refer to his quality or am invoking sympathy for his seeming inability to add anything of real quality to the team) wandered round like a lost sheep. I genuinely cannot think of an Arsenal player who has been such a waste of money thus far (and I’m including Pepe who was far more exciting on his day). He lacks personality, has no obvious defined role and cannot possibly be worth anything like £65 million. That he is by far our best paid player is frankly ridiculous!
But it wasn’t Havertz’s fault when Bowen returned a White clearance with a fierce shot that deflected off Kiwior and found the corner of the net.
West Ham 3 Arsenal 0 – Bowen, 60
Damage limitation was the name of the game both in terms of the scoreline and ensuring that we didn’t suffer injury to key players . Several of us have doubted the quality of the likes of Vieira, Kiwior, Nelson, Jorginho and Zinchenko and this game underlined the need to keep our best players fit.
Arteta had already brought in Rice and Tomayisu before he added Saka and Martinelli on 65 minutes. Frankly one wonders if it was worth it, Progress in this cup would only force us to consider who to play going forward. We have much bigger fish to fry but we also have to accept that the squad has two quite distinct levels and this was highlighted as West Ham sat back and Arsenal huffed and puffed to little effect. Declan Rice was his usual industrious self. This was an embarrassment he could have done without but his attitude was spot-on. He certainly can’t be accused of lacking personality
Some football matches can seem to last an eternity and this was one case in point. Both teams would gladly have packed things up after an hour but it gave the West Ham faithful the rare luxury of a comfortable victory over their London neighbours.
Ødegaard replaced Nketiah on 79 minutes in a change that by this stage seemed fairly pointless and I prayed for deliverance from injuries and that this neutered performance would not hinder our momentum when the league resumes at Newcastle. Ødegaard forced Fabianski into a decent save at his near post but our rhythm was non-existent despite the injection of quality.
Ødegaard then raced through in injury time and finished past Fabianski underlining both his talent and attitude. If only Havertz, Trossard and Vieira had replicated a fraction of that drive or quality.
West Ham 3 Arsenal 1 – Odegaard, 90 + 4
Final Score: West Ham 3 Arsenal 1
So concluded the most forgettable of nights and our thoughts go out to the Arsenal faithful including some of our own who had made their way to East London. We don’t yet know if this result was an irrelevance or an indication of vulnerability that may lead to a decline in our fortunes. The quality and consistency we have shown so far leads me to believe it is the former. Exiting to Brighton had little effect on our season last term and much may depend on how resilient we are at Newcastle on Saturday. Certainly it is ammunition for those who feel the squad is uneven in quality and one hopes that if we can afford to strengthen (and wasting £65m on Havertz compromises that aim), we can maintain a challenging position with tough games to come at home and in the Champions League.
Time to pour another drink and to hope that this was an aberration and nothing more.
Villa defeating Rotherham United in the 1961 final, second leg.
It started as a little cup the year a little team from Middlesex won the old First Division title. For most of the quarter-century I’ve been an Arsenal supporter it has been an also-ran cup, a seeming afterthought in which the Arsenal played mostly the kids, blooding them for more important silverware. It was only as we advanced that more senior players would join in the cause; when we lost in 2011 to Birmingham it was our first choice center back and arguably first choice goalkeeper (Kozzer and Chezza) who mixed each other up for the damnable Martins to poke home.
In the last few years it has been the Al-Citeh SubCup, the shine of silver muted by the sheen of an oily coating, with the Blue Oilers of Manchester winning 5 of the last 8 finals. In the post-Wenger years we’ve had a hard time getting past both Liverpool and the 4th round, and losing last time out at the first hurdle to a Brighton squad soon to qualify for Europe. Needless to say, Mikel Arteta hasn’t necessarily made it a priority among other cups and gongs; perhaps now that our squad depth has improved we can alloy that with a crop of Hale End tyros to yield a successful run to the finals, or perhaps even lift the little trophy.
Our opponents have been even less successful than our 2 EFL trophies, having made the final twice (the last in 1981 just before it was christened the “Milk Cup” for the 1982 competition) but never winning the whole thing. Since 2018 they’ve not gotten past the 4th round, and as often as not exit in the 3d round. This time around they got out of the 3d round defeating Lincoln City 1-0, the same scoreline Arsenal advanced with against Brentford. As a result, the Hammers host Arsenal on Wednesday for an evening clash to see who gets to move on towards the 2024 EFL cup.
West Ham
The Hammers are a mid-table stalwart, riding in 9th place of the PL table, above Chelsea and just behind Manchester United. Moyes’ boys lost a disappointing game to a struggling Everton team in front of their home fans this past weekend, making it 0 wins from their last 4 games in all competitions (including the Europa league, where they lost for the first time in 19 games to our old foe Olympiakos).
Moyes favors a 4-2-3-1, with Zouma and Aguerd in the middle of defense flanked by Cresswell and Coufal. Ward-Prowse and Alvarez sit between them an an advanced 3 of Paqueta, Kudus, and Bowen, all of whom can feed Antonio running alone up front. However, this doesn’t seem to have led to a flow of goals for them; they’ve not gotten as many as 3 goals since mid-September against European foes TSC Backa Topola. And their defense has shipped 2 goals per game in the last 5, a stretch also back into September. They have no injuries to speak of, or at least none that Moyes would speak of; some rumours have it that Antonio is nursing a niggle, and might have to sit on the bench or miss out altogether. The 5-yellow-card-suspensions for Paqueta and Alvarez don’t come in to play for the EFL Cup, though they will miss the Hammers’ game against Brentford this coming weekend.
The Arsenal
We are holding steady in second place of the PL table, just behind the Middlesexan woad-daubers, having won three and drawn one since losing at Lens in the Champions League. Goalscoring hasn’t been a difficulty against most teams, though we seem to score only one or two if we’re not scoring 4 or 5! Yes, complaints about our “control” of the game versus the amazeball we saw last season are liable to erupt if we come out and play stodgy, controlled football against West Ham. But do remember we did this against Sheffield United, and while a different kettle of mushy peas from the Hammers we did end up putting 5 past them, in the end.
Our injury list is looking better, though it sounds like we’ll not be seeing Partey or Jesús any time soon, and captain Mø might be coming to the stadium for a seat on the bench. Mo’neny returned and got an assist against the Blades, helping Tomi with his first goal in his 50th game with the Gunners. Congratulations, Tomi!
I do hope we bring in some young blood to mix with the old. Even though they played against Brighton on Sunday, we could see Ruell Walters, Jimi Gower, Jack Henry-Francis, Amario Cozier-Duberry, and Charles Sagoe, Jr. on the bench or on the pitch to start. We might even see Ethan Nwaneri come up from the U-19 squad. One can hope, eh? If we do blood some of the youth we could see a squad like so:
Ramsdale
White — Saliba — Kiwior — Tomi
Rice — ESR — Gower
ACD — Eddie — Trossard
Needless to say, we’d have a strong bench.
Otherwise I could see something a little more usual:
Ramsdale (I really don’t see how Raya can start either way)
White — Saliba — Gabriel — Tomi
Jorghino — ESR — Rice
Saka — Eddie — Gabigol
And if this were the team we could have some of the young guns mentioned on the bench. In any case, I’d like to see a fast start, a couple of first-half goals, then two more in the second half with a clean sheet leading us into the quarterfinals. And that really would smell sweet…
The Holic Pound
The bookies might have you believe at 6/1 that a draw is somehow going to be the result, but 1-0 to the Arsenal isn’t much better at 15/2. There is value for money in any mix of Arsenal scoring 3, even better is Arsenal scoring 4, where my predicted scoreline will get you 50/1. If he starts, Sagoe Jr. is a good bet at 10/1 to be first goal scorer.
For all who go tomorrow enjoy the cool, cloudy London weather; set your olfactory bulbs for petrichor, and bring a mac for the rain that should greet you as you sing Arsenal’s victory on the way home. For those who need to watch the game on the TV, have a look at ESPN+ in the USA, or Sky in England.
