For too long this season Arsenal haven’t been fun to watch. Whether tactical or not deliberate, our football hasn’t hit the heights of our last campaign. Even when top on Xmas day you sensed the Gunners would have to play a lot better if they wanted to be Champions.
Some Gooners argue that this is our young squad now maturing. That they now have the ability to win games without playing well, and that they are timing their peak form for the run in. That would be in contrast to last year where too much emotion was exerted by April and May, leading players to physically and mentally tire.
This may have been our manager trying to be too clever and over complicating our system. The only positive to Partey’s injury issues is that it stopped Arteta’s experiment of having both full backs time when to become midfielders.
Rice as a sole DM hasn’t worked like the Spaniard thought with Havertz not an upgrade on Xhaka. Players have been given extensions to contracts when they don’t deserve to be at the club.
West Ham knew they were well beaten when a triple sub of Elneny, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah was made. Debate remains if not having a prolific striker will cost us from silverware.
Yet on Sunday it all came together, the pieces all seemed to fit, and suddenly we are playing well enough to catch the two above us.
Mentality can we handle the pressure of squeaky bum time? We have yet to prove that.
Yet make no mistake, play how we did at the London Stadium in our final 14 fixtures and we can win the League.
Sir Alex Fergurson used to only care about Man United being in the equation this time of year. If so, he then trusted he had the dressing room with the character to deal with the expectation.
Pep Guardiola has seen the same happen to him in Manchester.
The hope is that Saka, Martinelli and Odegaard have found their mojo at the perfect time.
Our passing at the weekend, our movement off the ball, our pressing, etc, it was vintage Arsenal. Our starting lineup consisted of 5 offensive players as we rightly took the initiative. Unlike when we faced the Hammers at the Emirates, we were clinical.
Gabriel and Saliba’s body language are of two men obsessed with clean sheets. When was the last time we had centre backs with so much pride in their work?
Then there is the courage we showed.
The score line will disguise the fact that huge strength of mind was on display. This was the venue where our dreams started to die last season.
You wouldn’t have blamed Saka if someone else had took the spot kick, having put his penalty wide in that previous fixture. You couldn’t help but wonder ‘if only’ he could have done that in that 2-2 draw.
The difference this time is we got the decisive third goal while dominating.
We know City and Liverpool have the ability to put winning sequences together. Not just can they handle must-win scenarios every few days they can do it with a smile on their face.
We don’t know if we yet possess that.
In the short term though, I’m glad to say … ‘We’ve got our Arsenal back!’
Dan.
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