It’s North London Derby this weekend. What we’d all give to be present at The Emirates for this one.
Last time out, we killed ourselves early. Spurs had 5 attempts at our goal, put 3 on target, and scored 1. Their first goal was a 30-yard screamer after we let Son run at us on the counter. Their second came as part of a double whammy in which Thomas Partey broke down in midfield and Kane scored off the bar down our end.
It took Arsenal 5 games after that to register a win in the Premier League. Truly a miserable time for the ages.
So what will we have learned this time?
Well, the team we played was pretty strong last time out. We’ll likely have Xhaka and Partey pivoting again. Attack will be something different. I doubt we’ll see Auba and Lacazette starting together. I suspect we’ll see the two new additions that have changed the way we play for the better.
Emile Smith Rowe has to start. The question is whether he’s shunted out to the left again. I think he’s the better player there. I really like Odegaard, but I’m not sure he’s quite up to the speed of the league as it stands. He’s given away hospital passes in his last two games because of casual play and I don’t think he was what you’d call present to the levels we need… especially in a game like tomorrow. Thing is, he is more than competent playing as a wide attacker, and he generally boasts high levels of control… which tomorrow, is going to be absolutely vital, because Spurs are absolute vultures…
I’d love to see Nico start the game, but I have my doubts. Last time out at the toilet bowl we were mauled from 3 shots on target despite dominating possession. It was a typical Mourinho game. He’s going to let us do our thing tomorrow because he knows the odds are stacked against us not bringing pain upon ourselves. 7 of our 14 goals conceded this year have been of our own making. With a strong side on Thursday, we still managed to gift the Greeks 3 big chances unforced.
I think we’ll see Saka, Odegaard, ESR and WiIlian in attack. Jose will have a special plan for Saka… Spurs will be taking it in turns to smash him over in transition. Olympiacos did a great job brutalising him the other night, though I’m not sure I’d say they nullified him. The key tomorrow is getting him on the ball a bit higher up the pitch… though that’ll be hard to manage if we’re trying to keep our defensive structure strong.
Spurs are quite a simple unit. They depend on 3 exceptional players to put lipstick on an old pig of a system. When it works, everyone calls Jose a genius, when it fails, he’s a fraud.
Arsenal are not a simple unit. We’re better coached, have more interesting ideas, and we’re going further than them longterm. However, what our squad has that theirs does not is the self-destruct button.
When you build in the correct fundamentals, it’s only a matter of time before the correct outputs happen. The fundamentals are in place. The balance between and attack and defence is there. We are creating good chances. We’re limiting our opponents. The biggest problem we’re dealing with is unforced errors. Our players need to concentrate. They need to make better decisions. They need to leave every ounce of brainpower on the pitch tomorrow.
NLD is a toss of a coin. It’s usually fine margins, it’s usually an emotional wreck of a day, the winner will be crowned by who makes the least mistakes.
Arsenal FCs coaching staff have had this game pinned in the priority board for the last 6 weeks. Make no mistake, everything has been building to this game because it’s the Premier League Cup Final. Let’s be honest, it’s a huge deal for both managers as they look to extract positives from underwhelming campaigns. If Arteta wins this, and the whole project gets a huge lift and you’re looking at the Europa League with a different eye.
Lose? Not an option I’m afraid.
I genuinely can’t wait for this game. Two rivals with their best players on show going toe-to-toe. Should be an immense 90 minutes. Let’s hope we’re the fans crowing on the group chats.
Sorry there was no pod this Thursday. I don’t think I’ve ever been worked to hard in my life or more consequential things (first world consequential, I’m not distributing vaccines). It’ll be a patchy few weeks, but I’ll do my best.
P.S. I am on the warpath in the comments. Any of that ‘modern internet’ anti-Arsenal rhetoric on an Arsenal blog will be met by the full force of the law. I don’t care if you rate Mourinho, I don’t care if you’d like to see Arsenal lose to move on Arteta, this is a NLD and you’ll be treated like you would if you were spouting off against Arsenal in The Twelve Pins pre-game. This is an Arsenal paradise for the next 48 hours or so. See you there.
Fuck the Spuds!!!
(Not hearing enough of this here! 😁)
If the pen was against us we would be slating the defender for crashing in to the player and giving the ref a decision….. Definite penalty for me
Pepe has been decent
Ode putting a shift in tackling back good man
Fuck the Spuds!!! and Fuck off Mourinho! 😀
Kane is a dirty cunt
Kanw is a fucking thug
Damnit still too much time on the clock for us to Fcuk this up.
Kane another cunt getting away with it cause he’s English. Dirty cunt.
F ok off Lamela
They have one rule to Harry Kane, another for others
Lamela fucktard eat my hard dick dipshit.
Hahahahahahahahhahahahahahshahahsha
Book kane cnt tackle late
Red to the cunt
And Spurs should be down to 10…. There’s more than one candidate for that sending off..
Ha! Ha! RED!!!
Kane being a dirty cunt as usual
Lamela the cunt
He’s one the dirtiest players in the league
How does Kane not get a yellow for that on Gabriel?
Hoo fucking Ray Kane a dirty fouler as well.
Nice!! about time.. a bunch of hacking cunts!
Lamela you dirty fucking bitch
Fk off lamela
Fuck off Lamela 🤣
Someone’s old Portuguese mother is going to be furious after This.
Lamela was a red card since he scored.
No card for golden boy Kane. Disgrace.
Lamella off you go
Mouninho knew moment it happened. LOOOL
Did saka go off Injured ?…. Anyone
Pamela has made a lot of fouls today.
Bring Auba on to finish them off.
Good riddance ! Dirty little Cunt!!
Shoulda been off already.
I love how what Lamela thought was his special day has all ended in ignominy.
Shithousing the shithouser
Suiting ending for scoring that goal earlier.
Filthy lamela come on Arsenal
Oh well the subs will guarantee us a draw
Here comes Willian
Socrates is peeved but he does have to rotate
This is going so well!!!
Hero to zero Lamela. Epic cunt.
Willian on FFS… fucking Arteta just can’t resist
Baying
Disgraceful like the rashford tackle on holding … But as English fuck all happens
Rspca no he was subbed at half time he got kicked a lot in the first half
Arteta making it 10v 10 bringing Willian on. lol.
Pamela Lamela off.
The referees’ union must be DYING this afternoon with having to give Arsenal favourable decisions..
I want us to press the advantage and humiliate Tottenham.
Nice game ESR! Love that kid.
Xhaka finally being the tough man that he paints himself to be.
Xhaka trying to loose us the game
GRANITE Xhaka
Came close to a penalty there, don’t give the ref a reason
Will I An!!!
Our bad passes are creeping in…….
The only surprise was that Lamela lasted 75 minutes
Ok so tactics..dont care about table or points..just fkn over spuds…so defence and no brain farts please
This is British Entitlement at highest point.
Shocking Shocking that Kane can literally get away with anything. We need to be careful
Fuck off spuds
We need 1 more goal
A hobbling for Kane would wrap up this NLD like a glove
Humiliation would be nice but let’s just keep the ball and see it out …
10 minutes to go. Always time for a brain fart
Oh my fucking god we have gone to pieces…..
…..and a brainfart!
Hahaha wtf..1 more brain fart ?!
@The Godfather
English Captains always get away with murder. Not the first time
We start to self-destruct.
Partey has been a bit of a shit
Misplaced passes and wild shots
Partwy is fucjing up again
Pepe forgotten how to beat a man. He had all the space he could want. But still just runs into the left back.
Party gives it away twice in the last 60 seconds……
We need another goal, Players look lost since Willian came on.
Omg what are we doing!
Williams seems to be having effect. Everyone thrown off their stride
Why are we playing worse with a one man advantage?
Fuck off Partey. What are you doing?
Partey has been worse than Xhaka in this game
Our stupidity taking over.
If we come out of this without all three points it will be very damaging to Arteta.
Take off partey and get MO on..wtf Xhaka
Feels like we have gone a man down, not Tottenham.
Partey again…id take mo for him now
Fk me. Would have been so typical…………………………..
Thanks Kane you cunt.
Michael Oliver trying to give the goal
Arsenal doing their best to lose this game
Fuck me we’ve lost it!!
Looks like lamela invited xhaka to a 1v1 outside and he can’t wait to take it up.
What the fuck are we doing here fucking lost our shape and way completely…….
Luiz let Partey have an earful in at last 2 languages. Come on now …y’all… finish this out.
Can Arteta take out Xhaka now?
Saved by the offside flag…
Getting nervousss
Xhaka must be careful. He’ll be red carded if he’s not.
Jesus Christ man
Shwwwweew offside.
Where the fuck is tierney passing
Fk kane
I agree put mo on
Has Willian touched the ball yet?
Fucking hell what a let off ..: fucking hell boys sort it the fuck out!!
I love VAR
How is Laca not chasing that?? Get him off.
what exactly does Willian bring to the team, fucking back pass merchant