I missed an Arsenal Premier League game for the second week in a row. This time, I was driving back from a family event from the other side of the M40.
What made me smile?
Look, I’m not going to sit here and pretend I’m Madueke’s biggest fan. Like a lot of Arsenal supporters, he really frustrates me. A lot of pace but with little end product/delivery. But it sure as hell put a big smile on my face when I saw that he scored, albeit with a big deflection. You may say it was a typical Madueke goal – a little all over the place.
Can’t knock him for it. You can’t score if you don’t shoot. And that’s exactly what he managed to do on target that no other Arsenal player was able to do in the game.
Also… Konsa. What a last ditch tackle so late in the game. How well has he fit in? It’s like he’s been playing at Arsenal for years. There’s some talk about what happens when Saliba returns… I’m excited at the idea of being able to rotate between three amazing defenders – and that doesn’t even include Mosquera, who I highly rate too.
What pissed me off?
As mentioned, I was driving on the M40 during this game. I figured I’d follow on the radio. I don’t have very good experience of listening to games on the radio. I tried back in the day where I didn’t have access to watch games and always found it difficult to follow. Maybe I’m just a visual guy?
Either way, I thought I’d give it another go. Fuck me, it was harder to follow than ever. Granted it didn’t help I had kids sitting in the back who had managed to eat their body weight in sugared goods so were being VERY noisy.
I lacked the patience with them but I continued to try and follow the game on the radio. And what a game it sounded like…
“ARSENAL WIN A THROW”
“FOREST WITH A GOAL KICK”
“THAT WAS THE BEST WHISTLE BLOW EVER BY A REFEREE”
Why does everything seem so overhyped on radio coverage? Why can’t they just talk more clearly so I can follow more easily?
So yeah, I was looking forward to Match of the Day and was extremely annoyed when I saw they skipped through the match very quickly with very few highlights. It was only later I realised the game shown on MotD was a fairer representation than what I heard on the radio. It was all a bit boring.
It also pisses me off how pundits are now making out Arsenal are in crisis because we haven’t yet scored a set-piece goal this season. Last season they were all making a big song and dance about how we were over-reliant on them.
What surprised me?
Not from the Arsenal game, but I’m pretty surprised by Brighton. I haven’t watched Brighton in any of their games except for against Arsenal but I look on enviously as they seem to be scoring for fun – something we can’t seem to do. How are they doing this?
Could the last game of the season – when Brighton visit the Emirates – be the title decider?
What worries me?
I can probably copy and paste my answer from last week. But come on, lads! What is going on with our forwards? Is it our forwards? Is it the way everyone in the Premier League seems to know how to efficiently low block us? Is it our system?
Isn’t Jesus the resurrection of Ronaldinho at Barcelona right now? Is it us?
Something needs to change, I don’t know what though. Gyökeres is world class for Sweden but at Arsenal he looks lost. Saka seems to have lost out on something the last couple of years. Havertz has been missing despite starting the last two Premier League games. Eze looks restricted out wide. Tzolis is injured but though he looked bright he only has a single assist.
Madueke is… well, Madueke… But maybe Madueke is what we need right now. Do we really want to pile the pressure on a 16-year-old Max Dowman?
You can blame it on the state of the Premier League – however, how are teams like Brighton, Chelsea, and Sham City scoring more freely?
What does it mean?
Honestly, I’m losing a little bit of faith in our forward line. At least in the Premier League. We need something different – be it fresh tactics, or fresh players. Hopefully Berta is on this from a recruitment perspective, and that Arsenal continue to grind out results when needed until then.
I’m also interested in the game against Bayern Munich tomorrow. If the problem is the low block, will the Bayern game be more of a showcase of what Arsenal look like when we’re more fluid?
But really – I know what has to change for the next Premier League game against Everton… And that is I need to watch it. That’s right, this form is all down to me.
Song at the whistle
With a Little Luck by Paul McCartney & Wings
Let’s face it. We were lucky. Forest probably deserved something from the game, especially with their chances late in the game. But for now, three points remain three points for the Arsenal!
