SPURS SHANKED BY DISCIPLINED ARSENAL

I cannot overstate how important that game was in the context of the season. It was never consequential for the title race in terms of where we’ll finish, but my word, it was outrageously significant for belief in the direction of the project as it powers into the final 100 meters of a very long race.

The football gods were against us from the off.

Calafiori had a blinder against France in the week but couldn’t run off the injury to make the squad.

Martin Ødegaard was no doubt pestering to play, but his ankle issue was bad enough for the club to pull him from the squad.

Declan Rice had to serve his time for a stupid decision that won’t be consistently punished for the rest of the league.

Merino was squashed in training on his first day, and he’s out for two months.

The starting 11 was too soon for Sterling and Jesus.

Our bench consisted of four teenagers.

If this were an Emery or late Wenger side, we’d have gone into this game feeling sorry for ourselves. Spurs are beastly when they need to be. That stadium is massive and intimidating. If you’re not at your best, you’re going to get trounced.

But Arsenal had that dawg in them, as the Americans would say. Big, huge, massive, bully XXXXXXXLs, fresh off the roughest estate you can imagine (maybe that estate you walk through on your way to Spurs).

The game was quite scary for the first 20 minutes or so. Spurs got in behind us a few times, with Ben White being a bit of a gift to them twice, making two uncharacteristic errors that required a near-post save from Raya and some ridiculous cover pace from Saliba to block a Solanke strike. Johnson also put my heart firmly in my gob when he fashioned a clipped strike that had Raya scrambling to parry wide.

Arsenal had two really nice pieces of play. Martinelli made the most of his one-vs-one, finding Havertz with a looped cross that was saved by Vicario, but helped into his hands by Romero’s high hand. No one called that on NBC. Weird, right? Martinelli was also front and center again, this time when Trossard slipped him in on goal from out wide. Instead of crossing early to an open Saka, he dithered, then fired off a timid shot that didn’t work the keeper particularly hard.

Raya had a very hairy moment when a ball ricocheted high and looped towards him as he backed into his line. When I was a very average keeper, those were my least favorite balls to deal with. Slow, hard to judge, sun in your eyes, some giant lump heading in with his elbows. I would ALWAYS drop it. So did Raya. Solanke hustled for the ball, made minimal contact, and David spilled the ball. The ref blew, but I thought we were very, very lucky there.

There was a strange moment in the game when Timber won a challenge against Pedro Porro. He turned his back into the player and rolled his foot over the ball. All hell broke loose, and Timber was given a yellow. The commentary team seemed very happy with the decision. I know I’m just a fan with a victim complex, but do you think they’d all be nodding their heads in agreement if a Newcastle player was booked for something so soft?

Our goal came from a corner. Arsenal players were tipped off that Vicario does not like coming for corners that are put into the 6-yard box. Saka put it right there. Gabriel nudged Romero out of the way and powered his header from close range. A stunning goal from a defender who has one of the best set-piece records in the league. I think that’s his 15th since he joined.

It was kind of embarrassing to listen to Paul Merson try and create ‘foul’ drama from that. Literally, no one in England was complaining. Again, this is another example of pundits taking exception to Arsenal for no real reason. If this was a Newcastle player, Gabriel would be lauded for ‘clever’ play. But because it’s a London Brazilian, it’s a problem.

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Arsenal hatred is systemic—you just have to accept it because it’s the truth.

We closed the game out with very little drama, which was special because we had a referee who was all about it, dishing out yellow cards like he was flyering double glazing outside the stadium. The 7 he gave in the first half, a joint record in the league. Wild, considering how nonviolent the game was. Saliba, in particular, put on a masterclass of discipline after getting carded for the same thing Declan was. It’s lovely that Gillett wanted to show Arsenal that consistency can exist between games… just a shame refs in other games, specifically the Liverpool one, haven’t made examples of other teams’ players yet.

The game finished on 96 minutes. Arsenal players celebrated like they’d just had a massive win, and the narrative is now looking extremely positive heading into a monster game against Manchester City next weekend.

There are a few themes worth exploring, but none more important than Arsenal being the best defensive unit in the league right now. A clean sheet at The Bowl™️ is special; to do it with a skeleton squad of players really is something else. Arteta has been singularly obsessed with building the best defense since he joined, almost to a fault when you look at how many defenders he’s bought. It’s not just about defenders, though; it’s the whole team. We’re so smart off the ball, for set-pieces, how we set up for attacks, how fast we get men behind the ball, and how every player would put their body on the line to keep a clean sheet.

A few seasons ago, you could see that we were building something unique, but we’d get undone by individual errors… well, as I said at the time, those would fade as players matured, and sure enough, now that our players are maturing, we’re really starting to see the best of them.

Big Gabi is a damn revelation at the back—he’s gone from a big gaffe every five games to almost none over the course of a season. Saliba gets more and more dominant every game. Benny Blanco has been written off more times than Mike Tyson, and he’s still swinging. Jurrien Timber was simply outstanding yesterday. The man has swagger going forward, this we knew… but I’m not sure any of us expected him to be able to put in such a slugger defensive performance. It was beautiful to watch him yesterday.

Special praise to David Raya on his birthday. Vicario was one of the best keepers in the league last season, but he showed why Raya is so incredibly valuable—box dominance. No one catches crosses like Raya. He’s so reliable. He reminds me of David Seaman: focused, brave, so consistent it’s almost dull. The Spaniard is looking like he can compete to be the best keeper in the league this season. He’s been seismic.

Martinelli is definitely driving us all crazy at the moment. If you want to be brutal and compare him to Saka, he ain’t there right now. What I wonder is whether he’s on the edge of something. His mind looks cluttered at the moment, like mine might be when I’m being taught a new groove on a drum kit. I’m counting the beats, coordinating my hands and feet, and trying to feel out the music… and it all sounds a bit shite. Until it doesn’t. Then it becomes second nature. The basic structures I’ve learned become natural—then I can start riffing on them. Martinelli is still a young player, his brain being loaded up with information, and I think he’s working towards a breakthrough… the very fact he’s getting into great positions should give you hope. It’s when they’re not there that you have to start worrying. The beast might sound like shit right now, but it’ll click.

Jorginho and Partey did a very good job. They don’t have the legs these days, which caused problems once or twice. It’s always going to at this level. However, the pressing, in-game intelligence, leadership, and discipline all paid off as we kept an attack-packed Spurs at bay. A few seasons ago, if we were missing three midfielders, we could have been looking at Ceballos and Elneny in there. Oh, how times have changed… and upgraded.

Trossard and Kai were really good, playing off each other in a little-and-large combo. Havertz is starting to look like a £100m player, and if Trossard had a brighter complexion and came from an exotic club, we’d have been happy to pay £60m for him. Both created space and time for players. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was the kind of gritty performance that wins you big games. Sometimes you’re drinking wet martinis in sexy hotel bars… sometimes you’ve got to drink cheap PBR and get your head smashed by a pool cue… those guys can be both experiences.

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Only one teenager made it onto the pitch, and that was Ethan. He looked very sharp when he came on, and I get the feeling if this game had been short of bodies in February, he might have been given the nod. It’s great that Arteta is answering his academy critics—utterly hilarious that these were the same people losing their minds when the youngsters were included. Some people just need something to be hysterical about. Boring, unserious people.

Ok, I think that’s all I have today. On the primo content drive this week, I’ll have two pieces for you that are written this week, and as a heads up, all the Champions League On The Whistles will be members-exclusive this season. So make sure you sign up - also check out the On The Whistle xxx