Welcome to FriYAY people; we have lots of things to talk about. But first, take a moment to congratulate yourself for getting through a week of international break things. Ok, we feeling good?

Let’s get into it.

Jack Wilshere has been linked with a move to Colorado Rapids in MLS. The same conference as my team. I visited the away day there. Loads of nice people, close to the mountains, a team that is not doing so well – plenty of food for thought. Jack Wilshere bringing Arsenal football to America? I don’t hate it people. I’m glad he’s pursuing all options and it’s interesting to see Josh K roll out his young rookie coach strategy on another club.

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What do we want?

NO INJURIES

When do we want it?

All season.

Sometimes you need a crap opener to loosen the typing fingers.

Arsenal internet seems to be buzzing along, beating City for the first time since 1942 is a helluva salve for an international break.

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The consequences of losing the Manchester City just before a two-week break could have been horrendous. We’d have sat on 17 points, level with Liverpool, 4 points behind City, actually properly behind Spurs.

But it wasn’t to be. Arteta did an outstanding job nullifying the threat of a team that’s been teaching us painful lessons for the last 7 years.

We’re level points at the top of the league. We’ve played United, City, and Spurs. No easy run of games. We haven’t played all the worst teams in the League like Spurs. Arsenal hasn’t even found 5th gear yet, there’s plenty more to come from the football.

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Mikel Arteta finally resolved his psychological issues with Pep Guardiola, putting City’s treble winners to the sword in an afternoon of extraordinarily high-level football – the likes usually reserved for a Champions League semi-final.

Arsenal nicked the game 1-0 – all four of Mikel’s subs combining for the winner. Thomas Partey found the run of Tomiyasu – the man from Japan felt bold enough to run at goal from central midfield – he nodded the ball to Kai Havertz who used his body to shield Ake’s incoming challenge, the big German then prodded the ball to Gabi Martinelli who struck first time and scored off the head of the Ake. A wondrous moment.

Make no mistake, this was an outstanding result and one of the best performances of Mikel Arteta’s career. He slayed the City monster without Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli. He went with an unorthodox starting 11 that most people were whinging about in their group chats.

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Arsenal vs Manchester City hasn’t seen a win go the way of the red & white in 12 straight games. Not even a draw. We are extremely bad when it comes to City.

There’s no way of getting around it. We’re damaged goods psychologically when we see that lighter shade of blue line up against us. Now we’re the second-best team in the league, that quirk has to change. Losing twice to City last season cost us the league. If we want to be in with a sniff this time around, losing to them like that again cannot be on the cards.

There are some advantages for this game. KDB is definitely out; he can’t haunt us with his magic tomorrow. Rodri is suspended, there can be no magical horse-placenta-induced return for him. John Stones is ‘unavailable’ but we all know that’s Pep playing games, he was on the bench for Leipzig and didn’t play a minute, but that means very little. My hope is he’s rusty at the very least.

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It’s Friday and it’s still not clear where we are with Saka.

My advice? Assume Saka is out. Take the pain now. Move forward emotionally. Be stronger for Sunday morning.

England put him in the squad – but Southgate said the injury was being monitored.

Arteta basically said ‘late fitness test.’

There are some guarantees here:

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Well people, today is the day when we find out our fate regarding Saka. Arsenal already know the deal with his injury and sadly, it won’t be club that tells us the state of the player. We’ll find out when Gareth Southgate announces his Euros squad.

The one hope we had is that his injury wasn’t a blowout at speed… he was jogging when it happened… that could indicate he has discomfort over a tear. It might be a fluid injury, similar to the one that allowed Tross to come back early.

But let’s game this out.

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