Sometimes there are perfect ways to do things when you are trying to create a statement about who you are and what you stand for… Arsenal made that perfectly last night against a very tough to beat Wolves.
We went 1-0 down early on after an uncharacteristic error from Gabriel, it let the wind out of the sails of a buzzy crowd, but the players didn’t let the moment get to them.
I sat in row 5 last night, I’ve never been the low in the ground before, but you could really feel the focus. You could see the players holding each other to higher standards constantly through the game, and you could feel the players weren’t going to let the moment get away from them.
It felt nervy though. We all kept looking at the minutes winding down. The tension was thick in the air. But the fans stuck with the players, we kept willing them on, there was no groaning unless it was directed at the shoddy refereeing.
Then our moment game from our subs, Eddie Nkeitiah cut the ball back into the super impressive Nico Pepe, he controlled the ball well and turned the ball in. The stadium went off like a firework. It was wild. You sensed there was more to come though, so did Wolves. They were time-wasting, every player had a head injury, it was very sour from a team that preached about celebrating the right way a week or so ago… but revenge did come and it was ice cold.
Saka fizzed a shot at Sa that was turned out wide, Nico picked it up, played a neat interchange between Odegaard and Lacazette, then fed the return ball into Lacazette who fizzed his shot past the keeper in the 95th minute!
OH MY F*CKING WORD WHAT A MOMENT! THE CROWD WENT NUTS! I think an actual firework went off outside the ground. The whistle blew and Arsenal had taken FULL advantage of the slips from other sides. It was SPECTACULAR.
It was even more special because I was sitting in the ground with Johnny and Matt for the first ever time. We stayed for about 20 minutes after. The players all swung by to celebrate with us. The fans danced in their seats. We knew we’d just seen something really wild.
After the game, I went to a pub, it was heaving, the fans were just losing their minds. If you were ever in any doubt about the feelings towards Arteta and this project, you needn’t be, online isn’t reality, everyone is fully bought in. Arteta actually pulled up next to the bar and everyone heaved to the front of the pub to sing at his car. It was truly immense. I am so, so hungover this morning, but who cares, it was well and truly worth it!
So what does that mean for us? Not a lot. We still have to get 8 wins from 13 games and that will be hard. It’ll come with set backs. But the reality is everything is ticking over nicely for us. We had 26 attempts at Wolves goal last night. That’s the 3rd best defence in the league that do NOT leak like that. Our attack is delivering, even if it was a little slow to come to the rescue last night. That’s the 3rd most goals in the league since Auba was ditched. We are firmly in the driving seat for 4th right now… but we have to go again, in a new cup final, when we play Watford.
The Premier League is relentless, no doubt, but Arsenal are also relentless. Winning a game like that tells you all you need to know about where we’re going as a club. Hard work, character, culture, everyone pulling in the same direction, all the buzzwords working in unison.
… but the fans. Arsenal is a cauldron. Eveyrone I spoke to said that same thing. It has NEVER rocked like that at The Emirates. You just cannot knock the project. Arteta took bullets for it in a way Antonio Conte is refusing to at Spurs. The rebuild he and Edu oversaw in the summer has delivered a superb foundation. Now we have to see it through and make top 4 ours.
I AM BUZZING. I hope you are too. See you in the comments. Podcast will come later this the weekend.
Kane > Lewandowski
Bayern > Tottenham by a mile.
Put Lewandowski on Tottenham and his numbers would nosedive.
Put Kane on Bayern and they’d stay same or better.
Tom
There are certain tottenham players i have admired over the years and certain players i have despised for whatever reason.
Greaves, Hoddle and Kane for me are/were up there with the very best.
The players i despised were Steve Perrymen, Gary Mabbutt , justin Edinburgh and more recently Son and Kane (can you admire and despise the same person?)
Pierre
Son and Luka Modric are the ones I ‘ve admired in recent times
Harry Kane annoys me a lot but can’t deny that level of consistency
At the end of the day, it’s a also a football blog.
Naija
Kane at his very best i believe is better than Lewandowski at his very best.
Goalscoring pretty even
Creatively kane is superior which probably makes him a more complete player.
No winners medals is a definite negative for kane and it could be argued that when it matters he doesn’t deliver , unlike lewandowski ..
Pierre, it’s not even about admiring them , I don’t.
For me it’s about assessing someone’s abilities and level of craftsmanship and the level Kane’s all around play has been on is above other top players in the PL. It is that simple.
Tom
Maybe admire is the wrong word , maybe recognise/respect their football ability. .
Tom
Nothing wrong in using the word ‘admire’
There are players you wished played for you instead of your football enemy
Dissenter, I didn’t say it was wrong for Pierre to admire opposition players.
I don’t “admire” Kane because there’s aspects of his game I despise.
Play acting in the penalty area or backing into players challenging for aerial balls and then going down faking injury for example.
Tom
Got it
I wrongly assumed you were kowtowing to the meowing of those that wish to police the blog for purity.
Pierre
“can you admire and despise the same person?”
Yes. Being an Irish Arsenal fan when Keane was at his peak was like being bipolar. Ditto when Henry handled in Paris, that majestic,cheating,brilliant,cunt.
Kane and Son officially the most prolific duo in the PL history.
Almuniasaynomore
I totally get that too. I’ve often wondered what I’d say to Henry if I met him. Probably something like “I love you, you absolute legend but I also despise you, you complete prick”.
Auba looks a different player since he joined Barca, just can’t wrap my head around that. This surely can’t all be attributed to the different league, could be because of different manager and atmosphere at the club.
While I agree that he should have been moved on in the summer, there must have been other ways to get him to perform like he does now at Barca. Karma can be a bitch.
It will be more likely for hell to freeze over than Haaland to AFC because of present circumstances at the club and club leadership.
Ken,
It was a very hard one to take alright. What made it worse was France went to the world cup and performed abysmally, almost like they didn’t want to be there. Still,the joy Henry gave me over the years, wouldn’t swap it for anything. Was in a pub full of utd fans when Henry flicked the ball up,back to goal, and volleyed over Barthez. Spilled a table full of drink. Wonderful.
Pierre
Next time you see Jota or Jesus making tackles at the edge of their own box in the last 10 minutes of a game
Make sure you pass on your notes to Klopp + Guardiola about how forwards tracking back to help out defensively is a terrible idea, and how they should be sitting idle on the halfway line….
No wonder you’ve got such a hard on for Ozil….
Lacazette lost his marker in the last minute, so I don’t think I’ll take your guarantee that Lacazette wouldn’t have lost his marker for Pepe’s goal.
Talking out of your proverbial Kilroy. ‘Our current leadership’ – going down the Swanee are we?
Haaland can have his pick of pretty much any club in Europe and demand the best part of £500000 a week, saying we won’t sign him because of our current leadership is weak.
‘ Can’t wrap my head around that….’ How about considering the player’s mental state? Fresh club, fresh start. Not too difficult to understand surely?
I cannot believe Ronaldo didn’t go down there under Foster’s challenge, would have got a pen and the keeper would have been sweating on the card colour. Very uncharacteristic.
Almuniasaynomore
Yeah I remember where I was that day too like it was yesterday. And yes we would have brought so much more to that world cup than France did, they were awful. And we so deserved to beat them that night. But yeah in reality if I ever did really meet Henry I’d probably just tell him I love him and temporarily forget I’m Irish.
The players i despised were Steve Perrymen, Gary Mabbutt , justin Edinburgh and more recently Son and Kane (can you admire and despise the same person?)
Pierre
Perryman is a bit harsh in my view. I always thought he was pretty harmless. Here’s some others I’d have added instead.
Pat VD Hauwe
Sheringham
Ruddock
Graham Roberts
Dele
Gascoigne
Falco
Archibald
Ones I thought were OK?
Sol
Jennings
Tony Galvin
Chris Hughton
Gilzean
Ralph combover Coates
Bob Completely agree about Aubameyang, sometimes people just need change, we’ve all been in jobs or relationships that eventually run out of legs Some people like to put down roots, others need to move on after spending a certain amount of time somewhere, Aubameyang comes across as a free spirit who needs to spread his wings every few years. Change can provide a new lease of life. Stylistically I was never a fan of Aubameyang, I was opposed to giving a 31yr old a new mega contract, but he’ll still go down as an Arsenal legend who won us the… Read more »
Willock scores
Kroenkephobe,
I really hated the sight of Sheringham and Defoe also. For some reason I also disliked Anderton more than most.
Utd are butchering chance after chance here. Hard to see them doing it for the full 90. Glimpses of De Gea are few and far between.
“Willock scores”
Who could have predicted that eh Rich .
A worldly by willock!
Ooh yeah , i forgot about how much i despised Sheringham, probably because he always scored against us..
Superb technical player though.
You need some special talent to be a good goal scorer. If you don’t have it, you’ll miss the goal or you’ll shoot directly at the GK most of the time..
Pierre
As you know, I’ve always rated Willock, even before he went on his goal scoring run last season.
He’s got a lot of rough edges, but the vast majority of 22yr olds have.
His move to Newastle suited all 3 parties, he needed consistent football, which we couldn’t give him.
Give him another 12-18 months of consistent football, and he’ll develop into a top PL player.
Almunia Hi mate. Yeah – Anderton’s face had a rubbery quality. If you’d have covered it in fuzzy felt, he’d have been a ugly addition to the muppets or sesame Street. Defoe I’d have put in the relative good guys list if I’d thought more deeply. A massive Gooner apparently who created goals out of nothing. But generally, they always had multitudes of bastards in their ranks. The current lot are really unlikeable. I’m relaxed about that manure game – some wins in the PL are foregone conclusions. But my arse will be squeaking (don’t ask!) if its still goalless… Read more »
Rich
“Next time you see Jota or Jesus making tackles at the edge of their own box in the last 10 minutes of a game”
Of course you are just being deliberately dumb to support Arteta’s misplaced praise.
Pierre
Rich is one of the few posters that rated and still rate Willock
I think it was raptora who wrote that Willock will be discarded once Newcastle starts spending big
To the contrary, he’s a young home grown player who’s already proven his value – he’ll be fine.
The much vaunted Bruno Guimaraes can’t get starts and Eddie Howe is no slouch.
We shouldn’t have sold Willock and keep him in a 4-3-3 midfield who can charge forward.
Project youth?
Kroenkephobe, Defoe fucked Charlton over as a youth player, defected to West ham after being nurtured at the valley,my cousin’s hatred of him found it’s way into my thinking,especially when he joined spuds. Anderton had that angular oddity to him alright,bit like Kane now I think of it. Very disappointed with Scots collapse here in the 2nd half, going to switch back to the utd game,fingers crossed that Watford hold out,but I wouldn’t put any money on it, utd threw away chance after chance in the 1st half. You under pressure today with the rugby? Daring to go to the… Read more »
Pogba can look world class and shit at the same time.
Ye, Diss, still think so. Newcastle will survive and he’ll have next season to prove himself. If he doesn’t substantially improve, he’ll become a squadie by the beginning of season 2023/24.
Got a feeling United will lose today.
If I do a push up every time Ronaldo goes down, I would be ripped as fuck.
World class w*nker.
They are somehow not giving penalties to manure.
Eriksen on for Brentford.👏
Pierre you wrote: For me it told me everything when Arteta praised Lacazette for being on his own byline as far away from goal as possible in the 85th minute when we needed a goal. Arteta ““When I see our striker(Lacazette)in the 85th minute, chasing a full-back in the corner flag, winning the ball back, playing, going, fighting, missing one chance, missing two chances, going again. What can I do? I can only praise him”This type of comment frustrates me as firstly it isn’t Lacazette’s job to basically be on his own byline in the closing stages, and secondly where… Read more »
This Elanga kid has sauce
Watching United v Watford and you can hardly see any back and sideway passing in the name of keeping possession.
Pep has made football boring and diet Pep too.
“This type of comment frustrates me as firstly it isn’t Lacazette’s job to basically be on his own byline in the closing stages, and secondly where were Tierney and xhaka.”
Couldn’t agree more to what Pierre is saying here. Thanks Rich, I somehow missed that comment from Pierre.
Ronaldo is having a Lacazette day lol!
Can Watford really hold out for another half hour?
Really doubt it, United have too many game changers, it seems.
I’m all over the shop Almunia but I’ll probably have a bevvy later. On weekend days, I have to remain sober in order to taxi my ungrateful kids everywhere. The pubs round here are pretty benign to be honest. This is a very English bit of Wales, unlike Swansea, Carmarthen and all points north. But I’d say its definitely the one game Welsh fans love to win. You in a boozer?
We are going to struggle scoring against Watford..we need another miracle
Even if united win this they would still have got 11 out of 15 points from what was the easiest patch of fixtures for them…lets hope its 9 out of 15 at least…that can come back to haunt them considering their upcoming fixtures
Watford not wasting enough time!
G8 we’ve won 14 games out of 24, playing a team that’s lost 17 out of 25.
Saying we need another miracle’ is hyperbolic to the extreme!
Almunia
I feared the worst and it’s starting to happen…
My arse is emitting some high frequency morse code which, if I’m deciphering it correctly, is saying, ‘I’ll retract anything derogatory that I’ve ever said about Elton John (and there’s plenty of it) if his hornets can hold out at the theatre of wankers’.
Kroenkephobe,
No pints for me, have a ‘dodgy’ firestick here,let’s me watch all the sport I can eat!
Ronaldo is having one here, which means he’s probably nailed on to score in injury time. I can hardly watch.
Bob if they defended like they did today and Laca hasnt found his shooting boots we will definitely need a miracle
Fergi time now!
G8 Agree to disagree
Anybody tried Ben Foster’s blog
It’s probably one of the best player blogs around.
What a result for us
Woy has done it again. 4 times in a row at Old Trafford that the old fart takes something from the game. Outstanding.
Oh dear, it’s just getting worse for ManU
0/0
United up only 2 points with us having here games in hand.
We do have to start beating the better teams though. Have to dig up a result against Chelski.
Roy Hodgson for a knighthood !
Thats an incredible result for us, we are favourites now, not sure that that suits us, but it’s in our hands. Fingers crossed we go injury free,do that and we’ll get there.
Laca’s tackle on his own goal line got both the crowd and his fellow players fired up even more than they already were. You can’t underestimate the importance of players demonstrating commitment like that – especially one who was fully aware he was having a bit of a stinker in front of goal.
Utd never the danger in the first place, still Wolves and not spuds
I don’t think Newcastle or Burnley are going down. Everton and Leeds in deep trouble. Brentford could slide all the way back either.
Dissenter,
Remember though every lower team we take out before the big teams, makes those top teams games slightly less vital, less pressurized, where a point is much more acceptable.
The pressure that spuds and United are putting on themselves lately makes their task seem a mountain to climb from their point of view.
United’s remarkable shitness always brings a smile to the face!
4th is ours to lose now.
The only two Spurs players I have ever liked were Greavsie & Pat J
That includes our games in hand.. by the way. I know our boys are going out to try and beat Chelsea though. They fancy 3rd place, I can feel that energy from the squad. Chelsea better not slip up in other games.
Almunia
Agree, think Leeds unfortunately will be the ones to make way. They are shipping goals at an alarming rate and are getting smashed on the regular.
Burnley are grafters and they have a goalscorer in Weghorst now which can be enough to keep you up, still remember Defoe keeping Sunderland from the brink for a season with his goals alone.
Looking well lads by the way Pedro, Johnny and Matt.
Do Johnny and Matt comment on here? Know that there is a Matt and a Matt B in the comments.
Spurs winning will always feel like a headbutt straight across the bridge of the nose.
But United dropping points is the big fat joint and 50ml of Valium that makes the world a better place again….
Everything is going our way. No cup games to distract us either.
The players just need to keep their collective cool and I think we’ll make it.
Pierre,
Nice goal from Willock. Smooth, composed finish.
‘Kane and Son officially the most prolific duo in the PL history.’
Is that true?
Suppose the likes of Henry, Shearer, Rooney, Aguero didn’t have long-term ST partners that they played with for any great stretch like Kane has with Son.
And here I was thinking United might use Watford to pad their goal differential.
United happily Spursy!
United suck.
”Spurs winning will always feel like a headbutt straight across the bridge of the nose.”
That explains a lot.
Never seen anyone make too much sense after catching one of those.
The Spurs game is going to be massive for us, Conte is going to drive them on through force of personality that must not be underestimated.
The relegation battle looks like it has a few twists and turns to come.