{"id":13569,"date":"2026-06-03T09:47:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T08:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=13569"},"modified":"2026-06-06T09:12:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T08:12:05","slug":"if-at-first-you-dont-succeed-the-story-of-arsenals-25-26-league-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=13569","title":{"rendered":"If At First You Don\u2019t Succeed – The Story of Arsenal\u2019s 25\/26 League Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Part 1<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Arsenal began their league season in August it was against an intolerant media backdrop amazingly supplemented by a cohort of Arsenal fans who suggested Arteta was \u2018drinking in the last chance saloon\u2019. The prevailing wisdom of this remarkable group provoked by ex-pros and tabloid journalists was that if Arteta couldn\u2019t get Arsenal over the line this season, he never would. The majority of sensible folk however,  rejoiced in the gradual, incremental improvement of the squad which had been carefully assembled with our new technical director Andrea Berta who had acquired 8 new players in that summer\u2019s window. Gabriel Jesus was hors de combat<\/em>, as was Ben White, and they were soon joined by Kai Havertz who was sidelined for several months in the first match of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our campaign began at Old Trafford where United\u2019s squad had been revitalised by three shiny new  attacking signings and indeed United played promisingly going forward, but failed to deal with an Arsenal corner midway through the first half. The goalkeeper flapped and Calafiori nodded in at the far post. United protests were in vain. A template was set for the season – an obdurate Arsenal defence behind which Raya was in prime form and ruthless efficiency from a set piece saw us to a rather fortuitous 1-0 win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our first home game was against newly-promoted Leeds. The game was preceded by the unveiling of a beaming Eberechi Eze and we steamrollered the Yorkshiremen. Timber headed in from a set piece and Saka slotted home before the interval. Then, in the second half, we saw Gy\u00f6keres collect his first Arsenal goal latching on to a long pass, barging aside the opposition and slotting home. A promising beginning!  Timber scored again and a Gy\u00f6keres penalty earned by 15 year old Max Dowman completed the scoring. A very satisfactory start to the  home league season!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our next trip was to Anfield. It seemed like THE  big one, given their huge expenditure in the close season on top of last year\u2019s canter to the title. We decided to make it an attritional contest and were doing so very well when with ten minutes left, Szoboslai curled an incredible free kick past Raya at the Kop end. We switched tactics, but too late to rescue the game, and the Kop rejoiced, having possibly seen off their biggest rival. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nottingham Forest were next up at the Emirates and we saw confirmation of the quality of Martin Zubimendi who scored a stunning volley and followed it up with a second half header. Gy\u00f6keres had earlier  turned in a delicious Eze cutback and the 3-0 victory was the straw that broke Ange Postecoglou\u2019s back at the City Ground after a lightning quick and conspicuously unsuccessful spell in the hot seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manchester City came to town for another summit meeting, smarting from a 5-1 defeat a few months earlier. They set up as cautiously as any Guardiola side ever seen, ceding possession to Arsenal but pouncing on defensive slackness to take the lead through our humble Nemesis, Haaland. I was unable to make the game and watched it on my iPad as time ticked down. Just as I had given up hope, a blessed message ticked up on my screen that Martinelli had equalised – the delay was about thirty seconds and there was Eze playing a delightful ball through to Gabigol who brilliantly lobbed Donnarumma. That goal arguably won us the title although, at that stage, Liverpool were several points clear and C130y were not thought to be contenders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several faithful Holics made what turned out to be a charming and enjoyable trip to the Potteries to see us take on Port Vale in the Carabao Cup. Eberechi Eze scored a neat early goal but the home side gave a good account of themselves and the only other score was a late Trossard goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newcastle had been very difficult opponents at St.James Park in recent years and when a stonewall Gy\u00f6keres penalty claim was overturned by VAR because his leg hadn\u2019t been smashed in several pieces, and then  Woltemade scored, it looked as if we might come up short again. A late flurry saw a beautifully executed Merino back-header and a thumping Gabriel  header seal three well deserved points for us. This was the first sign this season  of a resurgent Arsenal taking control of a potentially tough fixture and ringing out a result. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

West Ham were another team who had troubled us in recent seasons but we took care of them easily at home in our next match with Rice notching the first goal and a Saka penalty clinching victory. There was a feeling of momentum building as we took over at the top of the table and continued to deprive opponents of even a shot on target throughout ninety minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regrettably price hikes and new seating arrangements deprived a number of us from a chilly autumn evening beside the Thames at Craven Cottage. Calafiori had a goal of the season contender ruled out (as \u2018left backs\u2019 do!) but a  close range Trossard finish in the second half gave us a precious 1-0 victory. A talented Fulham side failed to get a shot on target. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal continued the \u20181-0 to the Arsenal\u2019 sequence at home to Palace. Every Palace fan I knew (and I know a number) anticipated Eze would prove the match winner and they were not wrong as he scored an acrobatic volley following a corner in the first half. By this stage, a head of anguished steam was building up about the efficiency of Arsenal\u2019s set pieces and the number that were impacting results in Arsenal\u2019s favour. Any stick to beat Arsenal is firmly seized by the anti-Arteta brigade that, unfortunately, includes a large number of Arsenal fans, and a campaign expressing disgust at Arsenal\u2019s anti-football because of the quality and creativity of their corners and free kicks began to build up. Meanwhile the rest of the league feverishly tried to improve their productivity from set pieces!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our League Cup tie at home to Brighton allowed us to welcome the much loved Fabian Hurzeler back to THOF. A heavily rotated Arsenal side gradually gelled and Nwaneri gave us the lead after an excellent move midway through the second half. Saka, a late substitute, confirmed victory with a goal just before the end. We waved a tearful  farewell to Fabian but knew he would  be back soon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We then travelled to Burnley in prime form and in a mood to squeeze the life out of the opposition. Two first half headers by Gy\u00f6keres and Rice gave us total control of the match which we won comfortably. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk of an Arsenal title challenge had rumbled all summer but now had even more credence as our magnificent defence attracted a mixture of admiration, fear and contempt but our next game at the Stadium of Light was a real contest. Dan Ballard, once of this parish, scored an early goal on a rampage forward, and we trailed at halftime. Saka equalised early in the second half and a Trossard \u2018worldie\u2019 appeared certain to give us the points until a concerted Sunderland attack induced that most rare of things – uncertainty in the Arsenal defence – and a rather rash advance by Raya saw Mr. Brobbey claim a late equaliser. But a point at Sunderland at that stage of the season proved no disgrace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first North London Derby was held at Ashburton Grove and saw table-topping Arsenal play mid-table Tottenham. (The sound of the term \u2018mid-table\u2019 in connection with Tottenham evokes better times at the Armitage Shanks. How they must wish that to have continued!)  It was Thomas Frank\u2019s first (and possibly only) NLD. At the start of the season, a hilarious piece of film found its way  into circulation from Tottenham TV. There they were, the poor loves, relishing the moment when Eberechi Eze would hold up his Tottenham shirt and the Goonerverse would go  into meltdown. I don\u2019t know if there has been a bigger example of dodging a football bullet than Eze\u2019s experience but a serious injury to Kai Havertz prompted Ebs to phone Arteta to check if we were still interested in signing him and he got an affirmative answer. Eze decided to celebrate in his first NLD. He notched a hat-trick as a very disorganised and negative Spud team were totally outclassed in a 4-1  victory for Arsenal. Not that we cared, but that accelerated the idea of moving on from Frank for the Tottenham fanbase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our next game was an away derby with Chelsea and it was the only game we didn\u2019t win of the four we played against them this season. Despite Caicedo being sent off in the first half, Chelsea were decent value for the lead given them by Chalobah (from a corner!) just after the interval. Merino equalised midway through the half with a header from a Saka cross but we could not press home our advantage and the game ended 1-1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brentford\u2019s visit a few days later underlined the extra pressure that faces London title contenders with seven London clubs in the Premier League as well as the build up of fixtures that reaches a crescendo in December and January, the least enjoyable months climatically to watch English football. Arteta rotated again but saw the reliable Merino score an early goal. We retained control without too many problems and Saka clinched victory at the end after coming on as a substitute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aston Villa had emerged as one of our most credible title challengers and our match at Villa Park underlined why. Neither Gabriel nor Saliba made this game and we trailed to a Cash goal at the break. Trossard soon equalised and a see-saw struggle ensued which we lost unluckily to a Buendia goal with virtually the last kick of the match. Cue rejoicing around the West Midlands, the rest of the league, and in several media outlets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our next league game was against Wolves at home – surely a gimme? – but it was a real struggle. After taking the lead with a late own-goal we conceded an equaliser in injury time. Gabriel Jes\u00f9s who had just returned to the team forced a second own-goal just before the end but it was a less than impressive victory .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We travelled to the Hill Dickinson for the first time on a cold December Saturday night close to Christmas. It was a predictably tough battle but we were given a helping hand, literally, when O\u2019Brien inexplicably handled a corner. After that, our brilliant defence helped us to secure the three points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Palace were drawn to meet us in the quarter finals of the Carabao Cup at our place just as they were last season. Again it took an own-goal (by Lacroix) to put us ahead, but in the dying seconds of injury time Guehi equalised for Palace. The game went to a penalty shootout. It was held at the North Bank. We have had three shootouts in official fixtures at the Emirates and the two taking place at the North Bank proved victorious whereas we lost the one at the Clock End. We scored all our penalties, as did Palace, until Kepa saved from the unfortunate Lacroix who probably ran his cat over when arriving home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our last game of the year brought Fabian and his popular Brighton lads back to the Emirates. We struck first through a rare \u00d8degaard goal and guess what, Havertz forced an own-goal early in the second half.  Brighton surprisingly got back in the game immediately with a goal very much against the run of the play, and then we had one of the moments of the season – a quite incredible diving save by Raya to tip over a vicious swerving shot from Minteh. That save delivered our 2-1 victory and Fabian left the ground bemoaning time-wasting, Brexit and all manner of other civil rights injustices. We wished him a very happy New Year and sent him on his way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first half of the 25\/26 season had generally been good to Arsenal. We had only lost twice in the league, both to late goals against good teams, our defence was imperious and although we had seen serious injuries to the likes of Havertz, Saka, White, \u00d8degaard  and regular  absences by Calafiori our results had been very consistent. Of the new signings, Zubimendi had been excellent as had Hincapi\u00e9 and the extremely promising Mosquera. Eze gave us a creativity we had lacked before and Gy\u00f6keres, although suffering one significant injury, was improving even if he wasn\u2019t blessed with the first touch of an angel. But a long, intensive second half of the season lay ahead. Could we go one better than last season and finally become champions? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part 1 When Arsenal began their league season in August it was against an intolerant media backdrop amazingly supplemented by a cohort of Arsenal fans who suggested Arteta was \u2018drinking in the last chance saloon\u2019. The prevailing wisdom of this remarkable group provoked by ex-pros and tabloid journalists was that if Arteta couldn\u2019t get Arsenal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[20],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13569"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13569"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13569\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13574,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13569\/revisions\/13574"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}