I should just wrap up the article, this headline is enough.
We are going into the world cup break with a 5-point lead over Manchester City. We managed to win 2-0 against Wolves while City lost against Brentford. It wasn’t easy against the organized Wolves defence and they had their own chances in the first half but couple of goals from Martin Odegaard in the second half made sure that we weren’t dropping any points.
First half was full of mistakes and some hard luck for us. Gabriel Jesus’s goal was ruled offside but what a magnificent first touch he had, and what a goal it was. William Saliba was having a bad day at work, with a sloppy back pass when Gabriel came to the rescue. Xhaka was substituted because he had a bad stomach in 15th minute and that meant we switched to a Partey + Vieira instead of our usual. I am still not sure where Vieira plays, is he a competition to Odegaard or can he play on the wings? Sambi would have been the usual choice to partner Partey in Xhaka’s absence but Vieira didn’t disappoint and earned an assist lately.
Jesus had another one of those shots hitting the woodwork, which would land in the nets most of the time. He is going through a goal drought. He has been brilliant for us and he brings a different positioning play for us. You could see him moving to the wings when Martinelli or Saka move towards the centre. Martinelli specially loves to do it, to put himself in a scoring situation and Jesus provides an overlap to Zinchenko at the left wing. And mind you, this all happens without drop in the quality of our play. Brilliant, innit?
The other day I was having a chat with one of my City mates who was eager to prove Phil Foden is better than Saka. Well, he is not. I agree Saka lacks the cutting edge finishing which Foden has (his goal against Brentford was superb) but if you are telling me Foden is better than Saka because he has scored 7 goals to his 4, I would point out Saka has a better assist numbers (6 to 3 of Foden). I would also point out that Saka brings much more to the play at Arsenal than what Phil does at City.
So where are we after 14 games? Top of the table and it’s lonely here!
A 5 points lead after more than 1/3rd of the season is over is not a fluke. Brentford was an easy game for us but City lost against them. We have beaten Liverpool and Chelsea.
We play West Ham (H), Brighton (A), New Castle (H) before going into the North London Derby on 14th Jan at Shite Hart Lane. Four crucial games, West Ham because players will be World Cup fatigued, Brighton is always a tough game, New Castle are playing some superb football and are sitting ahead of Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United and Spu*s.
But all of them are winnable! A true test to Mikel’s side because we are leading and keeping a lead is always tougher than chasing.
Irrespective of how rest of the season pans out, these 14 games have given us a hope. A hope that we are competitive at the top level. I have been critical of Mikel Arteta and he did take a lot of time while learning on the job, but the results looks brilliant now.
We have a young team, playing some nice football, who believes in themselves and winning against the top 6 home and away. Fans are louder than ever, players celebrate a goal like it matters, no one’s bi*ching and dropping a Ozil-esque performance and we, the fans, and players believe Arsenal can achieve something great this season.
Cheers to that!
Nice balanced piece Ambarish. I’m going to be driving me and the other members of my household up the wall with AFC withdrawal symptoms as this miserable farrago drones on in Qatar. Marc (and Almunia before him) are right to highlight the weaknesses and the fact that the season is in its infancy but the results have been nearly flawless. The backroom team need to use all their skills to ensure that players who don’t go are ready and that those that do play return in physical and psychological readiness. I was reading about the club’s plans in dubai and the friendly against Killroy’s mates corruptalona, all of which sound very promising and avant garde.
I have a feeling that post-WC, there’ll be more of a sense that we’ll have targets on our back and that other teams will be trying to bring us down to their levels.
No plaudits for Tets yet – he has a long way to go before he’s delivered success, esp after spending all that money.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=16lNNZSCf7g
Saw this ad on telly today and it made me laugh. Who knew N Pepe had time to box, teach and star in porridge promotions. The guy’s a dead ringer – I wonder if he’s able to beat his man on the outside and cross from the byline?
Kroekephobe
Pep and Klopp had set up such a high standard that we can’t be sure even if we manage to get 90 points.
Every game will matter. If we remain injury free, reinforce midfield in January and keep playing like we do, we never know.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/11/arsenal-mikel-arteta-referees-bukayo-saka
Here’s the link to that Dubai story if anyone’s interested. Seems like a pretty shrewd idea in principle.
Ambarish
A well run team that is seeking success this season will look to invest in the Jan TW. Utd and Liverpool would call it consolidation. If they don’t strengthen midfield or react to any potential wc related injuries, it’ll tell us we need to know about Stan-k, Josh, Bunga-Bunga Edu and the human helicopter basque bantamweight. They should really have those deals ready to go subject to injuries etc.
Kroenke
There’s been reports Arteta will be given money in Jan although the talk was he’ll go for a winger.
Why a winger? We’ve got Saka, Martinelli, Vieira and ESR play there plus players who could cover in an emergency, compare that to CM lose Partey for a period and we’re fucked.
I can see the second half of the season being about fitness issues after the World Cup – managers who can utilise their full squads and protect players who could have a degree of burnout will be the ones who benefit.
Agreed Marc
The clear priority is adequate cover for TP. Anything else over and above that would be utterly insane (and typical!).
An adequate Partey cover should be the priority. You can pin your hopes of title challenge on the fate of 1 player.
Get us a winger and few more CBs we don’t mind, but only if we have fixed the midfield first.
KP
There is a rumour going on about LFC, it seems one of the richest in India is putting up a bid. The same guy who owns Mumbai Indians cricket franchise.
If that happens, I see it as a win for LFC. They get a clean, no non-sense owner and I’m sure there fan following in this part of world will go crazy.
I’ll be personally happy because that would mean a bit more exposure to football for the new generation.
It’s too early to say though.
https://www.business-standard.com/article/sports/mukesh-ambani-enters-race-to-buy-football-club-liverpool-says-report-122111300487_1.html
Hi Ambarish
If that takeover does happen, I trust you won’t be turning LiR into Liverpool is Red! Although you might make a fortune at it. Hey maybe that’s an idea…. A Liverpool site in India run by gooners making a fortune.
I just read that India is about to surpass China as the world’s most populous country so football administrators’ eyes will be lighting up.
Could I ask a favour in this regard? TRY AND GET THE GUY TO BUY CARDIFF CITY INSTEAD! A huge single team city with a decent stadium and a massive local catchment area. Passionate fans too. And the club could be bought on the cheap from a Malaysian owner who doesn’t give a fuck and would love to get out. Oh, and they play in blue like the Mumbai Indians. There’s also a test standard cricket ground a few miles away if he wants to branch out.
Talking of cricket it must have been painful for many in your neck of the woods to see old rivals Pakistan and England in the T20 final. In football terms, just like that CL final a few years ago between the spuds and the bin dippers! I watched the semi final and thought the Infdian team was poor on the day.
How are you planning to cope with the next few weeks of Arsenallessness?
Haha, I will burn this place before turning it into a place for bin dippers.
We need Hoopah here, he is closer to to Mambai and can give a visit to Ambanis 🙂
—
That final score meant people here were happier than any English person 😅 Such was the condition that Pakistan’s PM was putting up meme on his Twitter account when we were ousted in Semi.
—
I’m moving out of my home town in Dec 01st week to the capital, so that’s gonna me busy, need to set up everything and I have few friends settled there, so weekend catch ups.
How’s life at your end?
Best of luck with the move Ambarish. Still with the same company and job? I hope you settle in quickly. I haven’t been to Delhi in years but I had a really good time there.
England are hugely unpredictable in white ball cricket aren’t they? Boom or bust – which I guess is what makes it so exciting. India too. That final yesterday was super tense when it had no right to be.
I’m off to Italy next week with Ms K’phobe (Catania in Sicily to be precise). I’ve already checked and there’s no game on in Catania. Sob! Italy not in the WC either of course. It’ll just have to be beer, pizza and pasta oh, and a bit of volcano spotting in the foothills of mount etna. After that, Villa Park to watch Arsenal Women in the WSL. Do you have any readers interested in the WSL? It’d be great to think there are women and girls that read these pages as well rather than just sad old man-boys like us!
“Get us a winger and few more CBs we don’t mind, but only if we have fixed the midfield first.”
Yep – pretty much says it all. It wouldn’t be quite as bad if Partey hadn’t missed big chunks of each season he’s been with us but even beyond that having another top quality mobile CM (replacing Xhaka) would really move this team up a level.
Morning all
The chaos in my audiovisual room/house has subsided and the team have a week off before the final speaker install and putting the room back together again. Football seemed to take a back seat.
I’m happy Mikel’s gamble paid off leaving us nicely perched at the top of the table with a 5 point cushion. It’s a great feeling and one I’ll be savoring and where Junior has be merciless with his mates who were laughing at us a year ago. He has taken no prisoners with a few having to say The Arsenal are top of the PL when they see him in the morning. Junior is loving it and now knows the meaning of “revenge is a dish beast served cold”.
Six weeks before the resumption of the PL and we need to come out of our blocks flying and not repeat last season. This will largely depend on who we buy in the Jan window and if we get our business done early with the planning and terms being discussed now.
We are firmly in PL limbo land and I have very little interest with the would cup, especially being played in Qatar whose human rights issue are too barbaric for me to turn a blind eye for self gratification.
My Room is going to be completed by 7 Dec after 2 days of calibration by one of the world’s top calibrators and an old friend from three 80s and 90s. Football will be the farthest thing from my mind.
For the rest of ya with little conscience (kidding) enjoy the world cup in all its Qatarian barbarism and outdated laws for women and sexual tolerances. A country full of nervous camels and rear mount ladders.
I will be back just before our next game at Xmas. Friendlies don’t do much for me.
Ambarish we haven’t had much chat with each other since my LG outcast days, so thanks for the platform and hard work you put into it. It is much appreciated and not said enough by me.
Hopefully, more intelligent and cool spectrum dwellers find the site and will join in or at least enjoy the reading of LIR.
KP have fun in Italy, Marc, Herb, TRVL. MD Gunner, Hoopah and Ambarish et al enjoy life and be healthy during the break.
Just finished watching the Netflix documentary FIFA uncovered and also have little interest in the Qatar world cup. But will watch some games. Have a VPN installed to at least get decent punditry from BBC and ITV rather then the FOX commentators. Hope we will maintain our form after the WC and have no injuries with returning players especially Saka, don’t mind though Kane being out for awhile.
FIFA > then Mafia more crooked but without the hit men, contracts and concrete casings.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2022/nov/15/world-cup-qatar-damaged-football-philipp-lahm
It’s worth reading this piece by former German International and now football administrator Philip Lahm. I don’t agree with his logic about watching the WC but it’s worth noting that I found 26 (yes, 26!) rational and evidentiary arguments as to why the entire event in Qatar is a terrible idea.
Looks like Brentford’s likely finishing position has taken a huge nose dive with Toney looking at a lengthy ban for betting offences.
Hi Marc
I bet he’ll still try to put a few quid on their final position! What a tw*t. It must be the easiest thing in the world as a footballer to get a flunky to put bets on for you. I was shocked to see he’s facing over 200 charges.
Are you going to give the WC your undivided attention Marc or use the time to enhance your culinary prowess?
Must be even weirder this break for ST holders putting your roughly fortnightly schedule out of whack.
I might spend my Saturdays treading gingerly across dogshit and condom encrusted fields watching pub teams kick 7 bells out of each other in the Pembrokeshire league. Wellies obligatory – for the pitches and any stray sheep! I might even take my string less tennis racket along… A friend, ahem, told me it’s good for keeping their heads from bobbing up and down. 🐑💕