After dropping eight points in three games, victories at Aston Villa and Leicester have steadied Arsenal’s nerves and returned the club to the top of the Premier League table.
Two home games in a week against Everton and Bournemouth now offer opportunities to further tighten the screw on Manchester City before European distractions kick in.
While manager Mikel Arteta would have preferred to avoid a wobble in form, the fact his players have bounced back bodes well. After all, with more than a third of the season remaining, there are sure to be more ups and downs and nerves of steel will be required.
After yesterday’s 1-0 win at the King Power Stadium, the boss was asked about the significance of back-to-back wins away from home.
“Really important obviously, it creates more belief, more belief in the players, more belief around our club, and externally,” he said.
“I had full faith the players could do it, it was coming back to some basics and some details that can get games away from us, we made it much more than what we got.
“In the last two games, especially today, we’ve done those things much better.”
Asked to elucidate on what basics Arsenal returned to, he continued: “Especially against teams like Everton, the way we concede the goal, the way we conceded certain set-pieces were very avoidable, and sometimes the wave is created that is very far from the beach, you know? And then it’s too late to avoid what is going to happen.
“And we had to improve on those things, and I think today we have done really, really well.”
Arsenal came into the match at the King Power having failed to keep a clean sheet in five games. That poor recent record was clearly on the manager’s mind coming into the game with striker Gabriel Martinelli revealing it had been talked about in training.
“It [the clean sheet] is very, very important,” he told Arsenal.com. “The gaffer was saying to us this week that we needed a clean sheet and we did it today, I’m so happy for that.”
Patience in attack also appears to be a key message. Arsenal dominated yesterday’s win from start to finish but found it tough carving out clear cut chances throughout the 90 minutes. Thankfully, a cheeky nutmeg through ball by Leandro Trossard afford Martinelli the space he needed to make a match-winning contribution.
“I think in most of the games in the league we are doing this [controlling the game]. I think we need to keep going and be patient when we get in the final third. We did it today, we got the goal and the win as well.
“It was a good goal, a beautiful goal, it was a great ball from Leo and I just put it in the back of the net, it was a good goal.”
Yesterday’s game reminded me a lot of the Chelsea win where the score was only 0-1 but we were in total control and gave the opposition no chance of troubling us. 1 game at a time the mantra but if we control games like this going into the City game in April and with Jesus back by then, hopefully we’ll have the confidence and the points gap to really take it to City
If we maintain a point gap til then it’ll be interesting to see how we approach the City game.
Wasn’t that long ago that Arteta’s ultimate pragmatism brought us an FA Cup, and obviously he has significantly better players at his disposal now. I wonder whether we could see us set up purely to not lose having been humbled a touch at home.
After the city game there seemed to be a narrative that they intentionally held us at arms length before punching us on the nose.
Not at all what I saw. I thought we were the better team for most of the match and they just found a couple of moments of excellence to snatch the game.
We proved we’re Fighting for this title on merit I thought. So if we’re ahead on points by the time we play them, I have ZERO hesitation in going up there and sticking 11 men behind the ball!
Defense is the first thing Arteta fixed and thats where he’s made his most signings. But I think Arteta will take defeat but he’ll stick to his style. We were crying for him to go defensive at the end of last season especially against totts but he didn’t. He lost the CL spot last season but he played like he wanted to. He adapts now but only within his system.
If we have any kind of lead over them I would happily take a point away from home but I just don’t think he’ll set the team out to play for one in a pragmatic sense. Maybe if the scores are level after an hour he could make changes to secure a draw but setting the team up before the game to purely not lose I think would go against what he believes in.
Count this one as 2-0. I have checked Saka’s goal a few times and Martinelli has not been offside. Only his left arm is offside, which is not counted in the offside rule.
I thought at the time that was the case. More annoying they didn’t draw the lines once again. Of course in the cup final yesterday they used the lines even though Casemiro looked offside.
It is good that despite the recent dropped points, we already have more points than thr 2019 2020 season, with just 24 games played.
Arteta learnt this from Wenger. Whenever we got in a rut Wenger would go back to basics, playing solid football and building back the confidence. I remember having Arteta alongside Ramsey in midfield doing exactly that.
He knows what he’s doing.
Shame that Spuds gained three more points tonight but the LOL’s are on Chelsea anyway. Fuck you Chelsea, get fucked you oligaractico cunts!
I would rather say fuck Moneyryk, fuck Turd Bully and fuck auba. I watched the match and it was so so boring and it felt 2 shitty clubs are not even competing and happy for 1 point each but lucky goals by Spuds made chelshit look more shit. So happy to see those cunts getting what they deserve and even more losses coming their way. Let’s smash the overrated Everton.
Really enjoying the tracks falling Chelsea’s money tank. Long may that continue.
Amen to both you and Mojo!
Chelsea have unlimited funds so it won’t really hit them if they don’t qualify for the Champions League.
Tottenham on the other hand will suffer further without Champions League income. That new stadium cost an absolute fortune.
You are right but I just hate Chelsea more than spuds right now. Fucking money bags Trudd Jowehly, Mudryk and their cunt fans who as it happens have now resorted to sending Graham Potter and his family death threats. Their place, tenth or whatever it is, is better than they deserve and missing out on all European football will cause them pain too. Don’t think their billion pound primadonas won’t bitch about not being able to show off in Europe. They will bitch like fuck. But yes, you’re right, we don’t want Spuddenham to do too well either. I sincerely… Read more »
That was a simply brilliant goal.
Yes, the belief is back; and looking at the fixtures, there is the real possibility of going on another run of victories – like six in a row, the two away wins included. That is Everton, Bournemouth, Fulham and Palace (I think).
Yes, we can.
Thanks Obama
I honestly believe we play against 12 every game. I have said it before and I will say it again, football is not the same anymore. I have stopped celebrating our goals because I know they (VAR) are always looking for any method,rule, camera angle, and technicality to rule out our goals. I only celebrate our goals when VAR is unable to FK with us. On the other hand when our opponents score they fking forget to draw a simple offside line. It just doesn’t feel like a fair system that rules are the same for every team.
Fixtures for Arsenal and Manchester city up to up until the away game up at their gaff. (I’m sticking my neck out and having us 7 points clear). Your thoughts? *ARSENAL* 29/02/2023 – Arsenal v Everton (game in hand) 04/03/2023 – Arsenal v Bournemouth 11/03/2023 – Fulham v Arsenal 18/03/2023 – Arsenal v Crystal Palace 01/04/2023 – Arsenal v Leeds United 08/04/2023 – Liverpool v Arsenal 15/04/2023 – West Ham United v Arsenal 22/04/2023 – Arsenal v Southampton 26/04/2023 – Manchester City v Arsenal (20:00) *ManCiteh* 04/03/2023 – Manchester City v Newcastle United 11/03/2023 – Crystal Palace v Manchester City… Read more »