Football’s obsession with the small things

Arsenal recently drew 0-0 with Liverpool in what was a rather drab and uneventful affair. The ‘highlight’ of the game came towards the end when Northern Ireland international Connor Bradley went down with what looks to be a serious injury. As he lay stricken on the floor Gabriel Martinelli, in an attempt to get the game back up and running as quickly as possible tried to push the unfortunate Bradley off the pitch. Let’s be very clear here. Martinelli shouldn’t have done it. Whilst it wasn’t exactly a Royal Rumble style shove of an opponent out of action zone, it should still be said he was wrong and I think most people, including Martinelli himself, have acknowledged that. However, the extent to which the media, especially Gary Neville on Sky Sports, has beaten this relatively minor incident to death has been quite ludicrous. It’s almost like parts of the footballing punditry world has come to the conclusion that what Martinelli did was so repugnant that he should be banished from the game itself. Neville, who I still believe to be better than most, said that he wanted one of the Liverpool players to ‘thump him’. While it is obviously unnacceptable for a pundit on one of the UK and Ireland’s biggest sports broadcasters to advocate violence it is also another example of media overreaction. Comparatively, the opposition manager Arne Slot said that he was 100 % sure that if Martinelli knew how bad Bradleys injury actually was that he wouldn’t have taken the action he did. This to me reinforces the idea that incidents such as this matter far more to the media, as to some extent the fans, than it does the players on the pitch and the managers on the sidelines.

It is not the only time the footballing media has become deeply invested in something really quite trivial. Just recently the Tottenham manager Thomas Frank was spotted drinking from a cup with the Arsenal badge on it. Whilst admittedly hilarious I don’t believe it warrants a huge introspection. Look, I’m not here to come to the defence of the manager of that lot across the other side of North London but I do think it’s quite weird that we’ve reached a stage where journalists are asking a manager about paper cups. This type of thing should really be reserved for memes on social media not serious articles in newspapers. Should there be a series photoshopped images of Thomas Frank with an Arsenal cup that gets gradually bigger with every image?Absolutely. Should said manager be asked serious questions about it in press conferences?No.

There are countless other examples, most of which I have forgotten because they really don’t matter very much. You see the pearl clutching every single time a player celebrates ………or doesn’t celebrate against his former club. You’ll have one chap who thinks footballers should celebrate every goal they score no matter what and another who thinks it’s disrespectful to celebrate against your former club. My view?I really don’t care. Celebrate or don’t celebrate-it really doesn’t matter that much. Don’t get me started on the Celebration Police by the way. We can do another articles on that when Arsenal get accused of celebrating like they’ve won the league in May…….even if they do actually win the league. The reason why this stuff grates me so much is that there is so much in football that really does matter. It’s just a game of course but it’s a game that has brought to much joy…..and pain to millions of people around the world. That joy and pain has generated so many stories…both tragic and joyful….but stories that deserve to be told and news that should be reported rather than this constant obsession with minor things. Is it too much to ask that we should celebrate the stories of love and generosity and condemn the greed, racism and concerning actions of certain governing bodies rather than obsess over nonsense?

I’m fully aware that this article is unlikely to change much. I just hope we don’t go fully down the rabbit hole. I know in the grand scheme of things the media’s obsession with things that don’t really matter…………doesn’t really matter that much but it annoys me and I decided to write an article about it. I’m looking forward to the next thing that gets everyone talking and talking and talking until I question whether I really like this whole football thing anymore. I can already picture the Sky Sports two hour special programme where they discuss Mikel Arteta coming 2 inches outside his technical area. I can just about hear reporter get 85 year old Eileen’s view on Bukayo Saka’s disgracefully un-firm handshake with an opposition player.

Arsenal 24/25 season: A player by player review

If Arsenal had finished runners up in the Premier League and reached the Champions League semi-finals 4 years ago their season would have been considered a resounding success. Here we are 2025 though after several years of improvement and development, and now it feels a bit underwhelming. Arsenal’s problems began back in the Summer of 2024 when they failed to sign the game changing forward they needed and ended up panic loaning Raheem Sterling on the final day in a desperate attempt to plug a gap in the squad. The former Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City player failed to make any discernible impact on the pitch and Arsenals lack of attacking firepower has ended up being very costly. It should be said it was a season of highs as well as lows. After all, a 3rd consecutive 2nd place finish is disappointing but hardly disastrous. One of the highlights of Arsenals season was knocking Real Madrid out of the Champions League-beating them 5-1 on aggregate. Arsenal hammered Manchester City by the same scoreline in the Premier League and that too should be remembered fondly by Gunners fans. Overall, it was a season ravaged by injuries and Arsenal didn’t manage to secure the silverware they so craved and it fair to say there is significant disappointing in the fanbase. Hope now turn to next season and what will be hugely important Summer transfer window. Before that though-I have taken a look back at the season we’ve just had and had a look at the individual players and what they contributed.

Defenders

David Raya

It’s fair to say there was degree skeptism when Arsenal brought in David Raya from Brentford 2 years ago. Aaron Ramsdale had impressed and was a popular figure amongst the supporters. The Spaniards first season was decent but there was some teething problems for sure. This season, however, he has arguably been their best player. He has been busier that Arteta and Arsenal would have liked, especially in the first few months of the season. A spectacular double save to deny Ollie Watkins and Aston Villa is one of his stand out moments of the season. Perhaps what has been even more impressive than his shot stopping has been his calming presence and reading of the game. His distrubition suffered towards the end of the season, perhaps owing to long and arduous campaign but that has been a tiny stain on what has been an incredibly impressive season.

Noberto Neto

There is not a huge amount to say about Neto. Similar to Sterling, Neto was panic deadline day deal. The former Barcelona man was cup tied for the Carabao cup and Arteta opted for Raya in the FA cup so Neto was reduced to just 1 appearance in the Champions League and one that was marred by him trying to save a shot with his hands…..from outside the box. Neto will return to Bournemouth this Summer and Arsenal likely go to the market for a longer term solution to the Raya backup conundrum.

Jurrien Timber

This was essentially Jurrien Timbers first full season in the Premier League having sustained a ACL on the opening day of the 23/24 season. Considering all of this-its been a massively impressive season from the Dutch international. Arsenal would have liked to introduce Timber slowly and gradually after a terrible injury but were robbed of that opportunity with Ben Whites injury problems. Timber has played the vast majority of the campaign and has barely put a foot wrong-filling in at centre back and left back at times. His consistency and versality have been invaluable. Timber, like a lot of players tired slightly towards the end of the season and will undergo surgery for another injury over the Summer. Fans will hope that he will recover quickly and that we will see and fresh and even better Timber next season.

Ben White

It’s been a season marred by injury for the unfortunate White. He had been a mainstay of this Arsenal side since his move from Brighton in 2021 and revelation since his move to right back. White has played through pain on more than one occasion so it is perhaps unsurprising that the injuries have eventually caught up with him. White was understandably rusty when he returned to action towards the end of the season. The hope is that he had a good rest over the Summer and a solid pre season under his belt so that he can come back stronger next season.

William Saliba

There’s not much to say about William Saliba that hasn’t already been said. The Frenchman is simply outstanding-a true Rolls Royce of a defender. He is built like an American footballer but has the fluid athleticism of a ballet dancer. He is strong and quick as well as being technically proficient and an excellent passer of the ball. Saliba was robbed of his centre back partner Gabriel for the final 2 months of the season and his form suffered slightly as a result. However, there is no doubting this players ability and importance to Arsenal. Arsenal fans will hope that he will be tied down to a long term deal sooner rather than later.

Gabriel

Had he not sustained a season ending hamstring injury in April there would have been a very strong argument that Gabriel was Arsenals player of the season. It could still be argued, in fact, that the Brazilian’s performances prior to his injury were so impressive that he could still be considered for the accolade. Gabriel was the heavy metal beside the Smooth Jazz of Saliva. Comparisons have been made with Ferdinand and Vidic of Man Utd and you can see why. Gabriel has been a rock at the heart of the Arsenal defence and has also improved considerably on the ball which some felt was a weakness in his early time at Arsenal. Arsenal sorely missed his presence in the final 2 months of the season despite Jakub Kiwior’s impressive performances.

Jakub Kiwior

Fans will be forgiven for lacking confidence in Kiwiors ability to cover for Gabriel when he got injured. However, whilst Arsenal did miss Gabriel, it should be said that Kiwior filled in brilliantly and Arsenal drop off towards the end of the season was down to due to a number of factors-not just Gabriels injury. Kiwior grew in confidence as his minutes grew. His ability to play those long balls over the top was a feature of his time filling in. His future is uncertain with interested parties in Italy. He has certainly increased his value in the past few months and there is also an argument that Arsenal should keep him at the club this Summer.

Ricardo Calafiori

It’s been a season disturbed by injury for the Italian signed from Atalanta. However, he has certainly shown huge promise in the minutes he has played. Technically excellent and able to travel with the ball, you can see why Arsenal invested heavily to bring him to the Emirates. Calafiori can play both centre back and left back and there is maverick way in which he plays that brings something else to an Arsenal team where there is a big emphasis on structure. Fans will hope he can have an injury free pre season and push on in 25/26.

Myles Lewis-Skelly

Few would have predicted the teenagers rise to prominence this season. He has what some people refer to as ‘aura’. He plays with a swagger and confidence belies his age and possesses all of the qualities that you want in a modern left-back. Lewis-Skelly played in midfield and youth level and you can see how this experience has prepared him for inverting into central areas when lining up at left back. A return to midfield has been mooted but for the moment Arsenal are enjoying what he brings to full back. A wonderfully taken goal and Haaland inspired celebration to match against Manchester City encapsulated what was a breakthrough season for the youngster.

Kieran Tierney

It was expected that Tierney would leave last Summer. An injury whilst playing for Scotland at Euro 2024 put an end to that plan. A move in January didn’t materialise despite links to Celtic. It has been agreed that he will return to his boyhood club in the Summer. However, despite his move away being inevitable Tierney certainly made his contribution this season. He came off the bench in both legs of the Real Madrid tie. He has a been consummate professional since his arrival back in 2019 and this season was no different. A goal on the final day victory at Southampton was no less than he deserved. Arsenal fans will be in unison in wishing him well for the future.

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Another player who will likely be heading for the exit door this Summer is Zinchenko. The Ukraine international actually started the season in the first 11-starting against Wolves on the opening day. An injury put an end to a promising beginning for Zinchenko and has struggled to make any real progress since a return to fitness. Lewis-Skelly, Calafiori and even Tierney have been used ahead of Zinchenko and it probably best for all parties that he departs the club. His fantastic first season at the club should not be forgotten.

Midfielders

Thomas Partey

2024/25 has arguably been Thomas Party’s best season in an Arsenal shirt. Partey has stayed fit for pretty much the whole season which itself has been a rarity. He has offered good protection to back four which has been hampered by constant change enforced by injury. His calmness on the ball has been important and his performances in both legs of the Real Madrid tie were magnificent. However, at times his calmness has veered into the realms of ponderous and Arsenal have sometimes struggled to increase the tempo in games where they really need to. Its been a successful season overall for the Ghanian though amidst uncertainty over his future.

Declan Rice

Rice took some time to get going this season, perhaps largely down to fatigue on the back of Englands run to the final at Euro 2024. However, once he found his form he never looked back. His tireless work ethic, elite athleticism and his underrated technical ability were there for all to see. His two free kicks against Real Madrid demonstrated that Rice has immense technical skill as well as his other defensive qualities. He has played at both the number 6 and 8 positions this season and hasn’t looked out of place in either position. Arsenal fans will hope that he can out his feet up and have a well earned rest this Summer ahead of what they hope will be a successful season.

Jorginho

Jorginho formed a good partnership with Rice in the 23/24 season but has been used sparingly this season. It looks like he’ll be heading back to Brazil with Flamengo this Summer according to various reports, perhaps even joining them ahead of the Club World Cup. There’s time this season where Jorginho’s qualities might have been more useful than Partey’s but perhaps age is starting to catch up with the 33 year old. It was quiet final season for what has been a very good signing for Arsenal-who contributed a lot during his time here.

Mikel Merino

It would perhaps be more apt to include Merino in the attackers section given he spent much more time playing as an emergency centre forward than he did as a midfielder. A shoulder injury in his first training session was a disastrous start to his Arsenal career. He took some time to find his feet and at times struggled to cope with the pace of the game in the first few months. Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus forced Arteta to turn the midfielder into a makeshift centre forward. It’s fair to say the Spaniard did tremendously well given the circumstances. Merino netted 7 times in 2025 including a spectacular finish of Real Madrid at the Emirates. It will be interesting to see what his time playing up front will do for his game as he moves back to his more natural position ahead of next season.

Martin Odegaard

It’s been a disappointing season for the Norwegian by his very high standards. The captain lacked the precision and creativity of his usual game. A lengthly lay off due to injury didn’t help, nor did the loss of Bukayo Saka so soon after his return to action. There is a school of thought that Odegaards issues this season has been physical more than anything else. Arsenals over reliance on him for creative inspiration hasn’t helped Arsenal (who are still far less well off with out him) or Odegaard (who has gotten very little rest). Perhaps a certain Ethan Nwaneri can relieve the pressure and we can see the best of Odegaard next season.

Ethan Nwaneri

There was a degree of frustration amongst the Arsenal faithful when Nwaneri was used relatively sparingly towards the end of the season. It’s unclear why Arteta was reluctant to use the youngster at times but regardless it has been a breakthrough season for the 18 year old. He clearly has immense ability and already has a trademark goal. It remains to be seen where his future will lie in terms of position. More of often than not it has been on the right hand side where we have seen the most, and best of Nwaneri when he has covered for Saka. At 18 years old there is no real rush to make concrete decisions. Arsenal will be keen to tie him down to a long term deal and we would expect to see more of Nwaneri on the pitch next season.

Bukayo Saka

Similar to Saliba there is not much more to say about Saka other than to heap praise on him. By his standards, this has actually been a relatively disappointing season by Sakas standards-he hasn’t quite found his top form since his return from injury. However, his standards are so high that even a sub par Saka is a very very good footballer. Similar to Odegaard a discussion needs to be had on how he’s managed going forward. Injuries hampered Arsenal significantly and perhaps the club have to look to reduce their reliance on him in order to get the best of him. He has been so often been Arsenal’s most productive source of attacking output and this season has been no different. Like so many others in the squad the Summer offers a chance to relax and recharge.

Kai Havertz

Arsenal will no doubt be looking to add another number 9 to the ranks this summer. However, it should be noted that prior to his season ending injury in February Kai Havertz was one of Arsenals best players-scoring 15 goals and contributing 5 assists. His work rate is incredible and provides a good outlet for the team. The signing of Havertz was much maligned at first but Havertz is proving the doubters wrong. It’s a shame his season was brought to an abrupt end. Whichever attackers Arsenal sign this Summer, Kai Havertz will no doubt play a very important part in Arsenals plans next season.

Gabriel Jesus

It’s been another frustrating season for Jesus. The Brazilian struggled for form in the first few months of the season. Things improved towards the end of the calendar year as he bagged a hatrick in the 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup . He followed that up with a double against the same opponents in the league in a 5-1 win. However, just as things looked to be on the up, injury cruelly….but rather typically struck in the FA Cup defeat against Man Utd. The injury will keep him out for a good portion of next season as well. Arteta and co will hope he can regain his pre injury form when he does eventually return.

Gabriel Martinelli

It’s been a mixed season for Martinelli. Arsenal have flattered to decide in attack for quite a lot of the season and Martinelli has been part of that attack . Fans crave the Martinelli that first broke onto the scene when he arrived from Ituano. Perhaps Maritnelli and Arsenal would benefit more from those maverick qualities he showed in the early part of his Arsenal career. Too often this season he has looked a bit flat and Arsenals left hand side struggled to make the impact it needed to. However, Martinelli showed promise on return from injury towards the end of the season. Still just 23, there is still hope he can continue this form into next season should he remain at the club.

Leandro Trossard

Leandro Trossard, similar to Martinelli, has had a bit of a hot and cold season for the Belgian. He has scored 10 goals in 56 appearances-not terrible but not quite what the team needs. He has still been an important player off the bench-coming on to help win games against Aston Villa and Leicester early in the season. He has shown creative qualities as well-providing a fantastic assist for Kai Havertz in the 2-0 win over PSG. It seems likely that Trossard will remain at Arsenal next season and fans will hope that a few attacking signings will help to get the best out of him on a more consistent basis.

Raheem Sterling

There is not huge amount to say about this one other than the fact that this is a signing that just hasn’t worked out. He has laced the pace and energy of the Raheem Sterling of old. He has worked hard and reports are that he has been a good mentor for the younger players. On the pitch, however, this is signing best forgotten.

Whatever the outcome of this season Mikel Arteta has created something special at Arsenal

Its April 2023. At the time of writing Arsenal have just beaten Leeds United 4-1 to go 8 points clear at the top of the table with 9 games to go. At the start of the season even optimistic Arsenal fans would have expected a battle for top four. Its been an incredible season for the Gunners. They are top of the league and in with a real chance of lifting the trophy for the first time since 2004 they have done so by playing scintillating attacking football throughout.

There are so many individuals to admire. Ben White has been a revelation since his move to right back. William Saliba has returned from several loans spells in France and looks at home at the heart of the Arsenal defense. Oleksander Zinchenko has proved to be an inspired singing since his move from title rivals Manchester City last Summer. Granit Xhaka has taken his redemption ark to a new level as hes added goals and assists to his game. Captain Marten Odegaard has been majestic. Bukayo Saka has been………… Bukayo Saka. The young Englishman continues to endear the hearts of fans with his performances on the pitch and his lovable demeanor off it.  There are other names to. In fact, you could name every single member of the Arsenal squad as having contributed towards a remarkable season and that is why they are where they are. While this Arsenal squad boasts an array of individual talent and character it is the collective that really shines.

Back in March 2021 Arteta that that his ‘project’ would ‘go bang’. The Spaniard was much maligned for the comment at the time as the Gunners were facing down a consecutive 8th place finish. However, spring forward 2 years and they look like the words of a man who saw something special despite the obvious struggles. Arsenal have invested heavily in young players and have taken a ruthless approach to moving players on-just ask Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.  When Arteta was first appointed in November 2019 he spoke extensively about the need to instill a consistent culture at the club. “You have to be ruthless’ Arteta said. ‘Anyone who has a negative affect is not good enough for this environment.” (Arsenal.com). These words were a breath of fresh air at the time and its difficult to argue that Arteta hasn’t been true to his word. Aubameyangs exile and eventual exit is testament to this. Arteta’s no nonsense approach to off the filed issues and his strong belief in the importance of culture has also been replicated on the pitch as well-most of all this season.

There has been a fluidly about the team and an understanding that can only come from good coaching. Arsenal are team comfortable playing out from the back and are unafraid of making mistakes. When mistakes do happen as they seldom have, the team has come together and responded collectively. This is in contrast to recent years where Arsenal sides have often struggled to cope with an individual error. Arteta has spoken about Arsenal as a ‘family’. This may be a rather stereotypical phrase but Arsenal have showed familial traits in the way they interact with eachother. This is also replicated in the fanbase. When William Saliba scored an own goal towards the beginning of the season against Leicester the fans reacted by showering the young French defender with support. Of course, a united fan base is helped by on the pitch results and performances but its more than that alone. The way the manager speaks about his team and the way his side of gone about trying to achieve what they want to achieve has been a big factor. Louis Dunfords ‘The Angel’ has been a consistent pre game theme song and ‘Ashburton Army’, a younger cohort of Arsenal fans have been instrumental in the formation of a louder, more atmospheric Emirates stadium.

Arsenal have a fabulous chance to clinch the Premier League this season. Though away games against Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle await as well as a home game to Chelsea represent a formidable test but Arsenal already proved their mettle and their quality this season. Winning the title would be well ahead of even Arteta’s schedule but it is now firmly within their grasp. It will be a tough ask and there is a long way to go. With 9 games remaining Arsenal are 8 points clear so there would be significant disappointment among the Arsenal fan base should Pep Guardiola and Manchester City be the ones lifting the trophy at the end of the season. However, that disappointment should not overshadow the fact that this Arsenal team have huge potential and have the structure and talent to achieve great things in the future.

Arsenal 2021-22 Season Review

If you told most Arsenal fans at the beginning of the season that they would finish in 5th place they would have been pleasantly surprised. However, considering the position the Gunners had put themselves in there is significant  disappointment that Arsenal have finished outside the top four for the 5th year running. Arsenal started the season with 3 defeats to Brentford, Chelsea and Manchester City respectively. Manager Mikel Arteta was under early pressure and the team lacked confidence. A nervy 1-0 win over Norwich was the beginning of a change in fortunes for Arsenal with a considerable improvement in terms of performance and results. There where hiccups along the way, most notably back to back defeats to Manchester United and Everton, but Arsenal found themselves in the top 4 at Christmas. There was real positive and a cautious optimism that Arsenal could once again be playing Champions League football next season. After almost 2 years of playing in empty stadiums there was also was also the novelty of having fans back.

Arsenal start to 2022 was generally fairly poor in term of results but a New Years Day defeat to Manchester City saw Arsenal give one of their best performances of the season and arguably should have gotten something from the game. January also saw Arsenal get knocked out of both domestic cups. However, February and March were far better months as Arsenal won 6 out of 7 games. Arsenal showed a steely determination in 1-0 away victories to Wolves and Aston Villa in which the central back partnership of Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes showed its strength and Arsenal showed an ability to maintain control and temperament in difficult circumstances. There were still issues going forward and Arsenal struggled to really kill off games but Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard impressed in this period. Without wanting to veer into irritating cliches April was very much a month of two halves. The Gunners started the month in hugely disappointing fashion. The 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace was dispiriting with Artetas side struggling to have any imprint on the game. They followed that up with 2 further defeats to Brighton and Southampton respectively. This period proved costly in the end and Arsenal showed weakness when it comes to responding to defeats. Arteta and his young side cannot afford these sudden slumps in form. Losses are understandable and ultimately inevitable. However, the current trend of 1 loss turning into 3 or more cannot continue. Arsenal have to learn to respond mentally and tactically to deflating defeats. Back to back wins over Chelsea and Manchester United gave Arsenal hope but ultimately the season ended in disappointing. In particular, the 3-0 defeat away to arch rivals Spurs was one of the low points of the season.

So whats the overall verdict? Was it a season of failure or success? In truth, there is not a straight answer to that question. Ultimately, Arsenal achieved their goal of qualifying for European football. However, based on where they found themselves for much of the season, 5th place feels a little bit underwhelming. Despite that Arsenal have made significant progress this season. There is real optimism to be found in the performances of a number of players. Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli have all had good seasons and made progress.  Eddie Nketiah also impressed towards the end of the season coming in for the disappointing Alexandre Lacazette. Arsenals consistency of performance has generally been much better. Despite the lack of goals, there is a greater fluidity with Arsenals attack. Arsenal have scored the 4th most expected goals this season, 72.2xg  according to the excellent Scott Willis. (https://www.crabstats.xyz/arsenal-season-review-strikers/) . The fact that Arsenal scored just 61 goals showed how desperate the need for a top quality striker really is. Overall, Arsenal have a had a positive, progressive season that ended in disappointment. Now that Arsenal have achieved their initial goal and qualified for the Europa League it is more important than ever that they build on that so they can continue their improvement into next season.

The Euros…..

It’s been a long wait for the 2020 European Championships have been more than worth it. Goals have been plentiful and the games entertaining. Cagey high-stake games have been a rarity. In a year where there has been so much pain  and misery-the Euros have been a much-needed reprieve. There has been enough shocks to keep the underdog loving neutral happy while we have also been treated to some big performances from the favoured teams. We’ve seen the favourites France exit the tournament at the last 16 in dramatic fashions to their Swiss neighbours while we saw an inspiration Denmark overcome a truly traumatic start to their campaign to storm to the semi-finals. The opening game of the tournament saw Roberto Mancini’s impressive Italy trash a hapless Turkey side 3-0. The Azzuri’s attractive brand of high intensity football has seen them reach the final-where they will face England. It’s set to be stellar final between two hugely impressive sides who deserve to be where they are. Both countries have their stories to tell. Italy were one of the countries hardest hit by the Covid 19 pandemic. Horrifying stories of people dying in their homes from Covid 19 due to the health service being overwhelmed emerged early in the pandemic when the virus was spreading like wildfire. It has been a year of suffering for all but on the football field Mancini has tranformed a side who failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. They are strong defensively with the evergreen partnership of Cheillini and Bonucci while their attacking game has come on leaps and bounds. Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Chiesa have been particularly eye-catching.  England, meanwhile, are hardly the neutrals favourite but Gareth Southgate and his team will feel they have their own narrative. As an Irishman who will be hoping the Italians lift the trophy in the end it is quite difficult for me to talk about this England team without sounding slightly bitter. However,even the most harden ‘anyone but England’ supporter can appreciate that Gareth Southgate seems like a very nice man while Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford have both proven themselves to be wonderful human beings and have shown up a complete lack of leadership and decency at the heart of the British government.  

It would be quite absurd and really  wrong to write an article about how great Euro 2020 has been without mentioning what happened on day 2 of the tournament in Copenhagen. Cristian Eriksens collapse shook the footballing world. I could hardly bare to watch sitting in a cozy living room in Dublin. It’s difficult to imagine quite what the players on the field that day were experiencing. Denmark went on to lose the game 1-0. Despite this tournaments overall success-Uefa’s role in this incident should not be forgotten. They should have handled the situation with the compassion and understanding it deserved. Instead-they forced the players and staff of both teams into a truly horrible dilemma. While the organisers of the tournament once again let themselves and the participants down-the Danish players did themselves and their country proud. The rendition of ‘der er et yndigt land; in the following game against Belgium was powerful. The Danes lost the game in the end but went on to beat Russia in the final game to reach the knockout stages and became the first side to do so having lost their first two opening games. It was quite clear that their teammate Eriksen was at the forefront of the playes minds throughout their campaign. However, it should also be acknowledged that they were an extremely enjoyable and exciting team to watch in their own right. Henrik Damsgaard, Eriksen’s replacement in the side was outstanding in his sides run to the semi-finals and was one of many young players to prosper at this years tournament.  Left back Joakim Maehle really announced himself to Europe as he marauded down the wing in every game. There is something truly wonderful about a relatively little known player drawing the plaudits the way he has done.  

This tournament has been more than just fun-its been heart wrenching and emotional. We have seen some truly spectacular games. Spain’s 5-3 triumph over Croatia in the round of 16 as well as Switzerlands victory on penalties against France, which came after a dramatic 3-3 draw where the Swiss fought back from 3-1 down were probably the best of the lot. There’s been very few thrashings. Games have been tight and competitive and every country has contributed towards the tournament as a whole. As the world slowly starts to recover from the impact of Covid 19-this was a truly wonderful reminder of what football could be like with fans in the stands. I’m very much looking forward to tonight’s final as a and hope for a fitting end………as well as an Italian win to what has been really exciting few weeks. 

A season to forget but hope is on the horizon

While the past 10 years or so have not exactly been the most successful in the clubs long history but there has been usually something to enjoy- an FA Cup here or a finish above spurs there. Arsenal achieved neither of those things in 2020/21. A disastrous November and December virtually ended the clubs top four hopes while an 8th place finish and a Europa League semi final defeat to eventual Champions Villereal mean that Arsenal will note be involved in European Competition for the first in 25 years. Few Arsenal fans will shed tears at missing out on the inaugural European Conference League but that statistic is still a startling one and demonstrates how far the club has fallen in recent times. Its difficult to see the light after a season which took place  almost entirely behind closed doors- not to mention the fact Arsenal suffered an historically bad start. There was a also the matter of the clubs board going behind the backs of players, staff and fans by attempting to join the now collapsed European Super League. However, as some countries begin to ease restrictions bringing hope of a slow return to normality-there are things to be positive about for Arsneal.  

For most of the season, Arsenals fans hopes and dreams were heavily weighted on poor Bukayo Saka’s shoulders. January, however saw the emergence of Emile Smith-Rowe and the return from injury of Gabrielle Martinelli. The former has been integral in the Gunners good form in 2021 and while the former has not been used as much as many fans would like-they are both still sources of optimism, alongside Saka. Florin Balogun has signed a long term contact to the surprise of many meaning that the Gunners have a good core of youngsters. All but Smith-Rowe are on long term contracts and Arsneal hope that he too will commit himself long term soon. Meanwhile, left back Kieran Tierney and center back Gabriel, both 23, are still young and should be important players going forward.  

Its not just the younger personnel that brighten what was a dark and gloomy season. Arsenals results since the Stephens day victory over Chelsea have been quietly impressive. In fact, they have been the 3rd best team this calendar year- a statistic which feels rather null and void considering their 8th place finish and Europa League exit. However, their 2021 form shows that the team are capable of putting together a run of results. They have also shown a capacity to control games, something they have failed to do consistently for some time- the recent victories away to Newcastle and at home to Brighton demonstrate this. A playing style has also emerged- Bukayo Sakas goal in the 4-0 victory over West Brom early in the year came after a brilliant team move. Arteta has spoken about structure pretty much since his appointment in November 2019-we are now beginning to see this emphasis on the structural side of the game replicate itself in Arsenals performances. It has been far from perfect-obviously. Often Arteta’s stubbornness when it comes to structure has come at a detriment to Arsenal’s attacking game. We seen this over cautious approach in the 2nd leg of Arsenals Europa League tie with Villereal which finished 0-0. However, defensively, the Gunners have improved significantly. Only Manchester City and Chelsea have conceded fewer goals than Arsenal this season.  

Mikel Arteta is about a year and a half into his first managerial post and in that time he has experienced the most dramatic disruption to football since the 2nd World War. He had no real pre season last year and has had little time to really plan on the training pitch. He won a trophy in his first season and while his second was undoubtedly a failure-there are crumbs of hope to find if you look hard enough. The squad needs work-that is is for certain. Several first team players are keen to leave, according to The Athletic-one of which already has in David Luiz. Lacazette, Bellerin, Xhaka and Leno are the others reportedly wanting to leave. A Summer clear out is probably not the worst thing Arsenal could do but the Arsenal transfer team have a huge amount of work to do and must improve on past performances. Incomings will be necessary in a number of positions including right back should Bellerin depart, left back, midfield and up front should Lacazette also leave. It won’t be an easy task and Mikel Arteta will need the backing of both his colleagues-including the incoming Richard Garlick and the owners. It would be easy and pretty understandable to feel gloomy about the forthcoming transfer window and the new season in September-but while is much to worry about-there is also a reason to be optimistic and even excited.  

There’s work to do…….

Arsenals performance at home to Liverpool at the weekend was well below par even with the relatively weakened lineup Mikel Arteta was forced to select. From the very first minute Arsenal were completely outplayed by a Liverpool side who had been struggling. Arsenal were passive throughout and showed none of the attacking threat displayed in recent months.  Individual performances were really poor and tactically they were also very questionable. They faced a side on a poor run of form who would have presumably been lacking in confidence. Arsenal played into their hands allowing them easy possession. Liverpool quickly gained in confidence and really turned the screw in in the second half. Mikel Arteta has to take some responsibility here. Arsenal should have put a fragile Liverpool under pressure. The Merseyside club lined up with a centre back partnership of Kabak and Phillips-both of whom are inexperienced. Arsenal have the kind of attacking talent to take advantage of this inexperience and yet they barely even threatened to do so. Aubamayeng really struggled to make any sort of impact on the left wing. Lacazette couldn’t build on his performance against West Ham and Pepe was largely anonymous on the right. The players behind them didn’t fare much better. It was evidence-if it was really needed that both the squad and the manager need to improve dramatically and that Arsenal are far from the level they want to be at. 

Arsenal went in to this game without Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Granit Xhaka while Kieran Tierney was forced off injured. The lack of depth in Arsenals squad was truly exposed as Liverpool strolled to a 3-0 victory. Arsenals missed Smith Rowes creativity and intelligent game play. Dani Ceballos struggled in place of Xhaka and Arsenals failure to find a backup left back in Janaury was punished when the naturally right sided Cedric replaced Tierney. This all points to a side that relies too heavily on individuals. Arteta has worked hard to build an identity over the past few months and have shown promising signs since Christmas. However, all it took for that identify to disappear was a few injuries to key players.  

The Liverpool performance demonstrated that Arsenal have a huge summer ahead of them-both on the training ground and in the transfer market. A back up left back is essential to relieve the pressure on Kieran Tierney. Midfield needs a huge amount of work. Dani Ceballos’ recent struggles mean it is very unlikely that he will be an Arsenal player next season. Mohammed Elneny is a decent squad player but not at the level to take Arsenal forward. Question marks still remain surrounding the futures of Joe Willock and Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Granit Xhaka has been excellent since the Chelsea game on St. Stephens day but Arsenal should not be relying on him to the level they have. A midield partner for Thomas Partey is an imperative. Ideally, the Gunners need a player who combine Xhakas consistency in possession with more mobility, pace and defensive instincts. Arteta and co should also be doing all they can to bring Martin Odegaard in on a permanent basis. The Norwegian has been  outstanding since his loan move from Real Madrid in January. A back up goalkeeper for Bernt Leno will be necessary as will a right back if Hector Bellerin departs. Areta must also use the 3 months over the summer to revise his tactics and learn from his mistakes. A lack of squad depth and the fact that he is still relatively new in his job may be used as an excuse now but they simply won’t cut it next season.  

Arsenal’s form since December should not be forgotten amidst Saturdays calamitous performance against Liverpool. They have shown promise and had shown a consistency in terms of performance prior to Saturdays game. They have the attacking talent to truly hurt teams and will hope to use this to their advantage in the Europa League, which is essentially their only route into European football next season. They need to be braver than they were on Saturday. They need to be aggressive and move the  ball quickly. If they are as passive as they were against Liverpool-they will not last long and will blow an opportunity to win their first major European trophy. Saturdays performance made it blindingly obvious that Arteta’s plan for Arsenal’s success would take time. It is long term project. However, achieving short term goals will be essential if long term success is to be gained.  

It’s time to trust in youth.

After a disastrous first few months of the 2020/21 season the past month has given Arsenal fans a much needed lift. Few would have been optimistic when Arsenal went up against Chelsea on St. Stephen’s Day. Mikel Arteta was under pressure with significant portions of the Arsenal fanbase calling for his sacking. The Spaniard needed a big performance from his players and thrust Emile Smith Rowe and Gabrielle Martinelli in at the deep end. It was a bold move, and one that thankfully paid off for Arteta and Arsenal. Both youngsters were instrumental as the Gunners beat Chelsea comfortably. Aretas bravery in terms of team selection was replicated by the players themselves, particularly the younger core.

Its January the 18th and Arsenal sit in 11th place-far away from where they need to be. However, with 4 wins in a row, there is a much greater sense of optimism around the club. An optimism instigated by playing younger players and trusting in their quality. Emile Smith Rowe has been transformative and Arsenals attack looks far more fluid with him. Bukayo Saka has been a bright spark in a pretty dull season for Arsenal and seems to have benefited from having similarly fresh and brave players alongside him.

Arsenals transfer policy has been slightly perplexing of late without any real indication of long term planning. Willian, who has so far struggled to make any real impact in an Arsenal shirt was given a 3 year contract upon signing in the Summer. Similarly, Cedric, who was 29 in August was given a 4 year deal in the Summer. Its hardly surprising that this chaotic approach to recruitment has resulted in a bloated squad with several highly paid players contributing little or nothing to the team. Arsenal have a job on their hands over the next few transfer windows to the right the wrongs of recent years. Selling will be just as important as buying. The past few weeks have offered a glimpse of a potentially bright future but there is much more work to be done. Arsenal must surround the likes of Smith Rowe and Martinelli with other talented young players and that means being smart in the market and using resources wisely.

There’s something to be said for experience and know how. Realistically, every team needs players with these qualities. However, Arsenals have far too many players whose age and past experience are not replicated in their contribution to the team. They have looked stale for much of the season and lacked the energy of more youthful players. Several experienced Arsenal players will be on their way out sooner rather than later. Sokratis (32) is likely to leave this month and will be gone in the summer when his contract expires if not. The Mesut Ozil situation has plagued the club for far too long now but his Arsenal career will finally come to an end this summer, if Fenerbache don’t sign him this month. David Luiz (33) will also be heading for the exit door when Arsenals 2020/21 season ends with no talk of a new contract at this moment in time, as is the case with Shkodran Mustafi. Sead Kolasinac has already left the club on loan and is unlikely to return while the futures of Mohamed Elneny, Callum Chambers and Granit Xhaka among others is in significant doubt. Not many Arsenal fans will shed tears about the prospect of any of these players leaving and Arsenal would be happy to free up all those wages. In this respect, this summer offers the Gunners a chance to restart and rejuvenate an ageing and bloated squad.

For much of Arsene Wenger’s reign at Arsenal, there was an emphasis on trusting youth. Perhaps, at times, Wenger was too stubborn in this approach and his young sides often lacked experience. However, in recent years Arsenal have somewhat overcompensated. With limited funds and no guarantee of Champions League football going forward Arsenal must trust in youth again. The aim should be to build a young hungry squad with some proven quality in there too. For example, Arsenal may be tempted to opt for experience to fill the backup goalkeeper and left back positions when the time comes. However, Arsenal should look at the contribution their young players have made this season and seek to bring in players with the potential to be the number one player in their position. Cup games and player unavailability’s should be an opening door for younger players who hope to earn a spot in the first team.

Arsenals future could be bright but they have to make the right choices. That means instilling a consistent transfer policy which puts emphasis on buying young players with potential. Arsenal will need to be ruthless when selling players. There is no room anymore for ageing players not making sufficient contribution. The upcoming Summer transfer window should be viewed as a chance to build for the future and Arsenal must learn from previous mistakes.

The Curious Case of Arsenal’s attack

Arsenal have had a relatively successful start to the 2020/21 season with 3 wins out of  6 in the premier league with defeats coming away to Liverpool and away to Manchester City and at home to Leicester respectively. They have progressed past Leicester and Liverpool in the Carabao Cup and have got their Europa League campaign off to a winning start with a 2-1 win in Austria against Rapid Wien. It’s been a case of steady rather than spectacular improvement. It would have been naive to expect a club that struggled  for  so much of last season to begin the new campaign playing flowing, attacking football and winning games convincingly.  

Structurally, Arsenal have been much improved. Gabriel Malaghaes, the summer signing from Lille has made a good start to life in English football. They have generally been far more sturdy defensively, as has been the case under Mikel Arteta. Going forward is where the Gunners have looked rather toothless, however. None of the various attacking combinations have really worked convincingly. In the recent 1-0 defeat at home to Leicester, boss Mikel Arteta opted for an attacking trio of Saka, Aubameyang, Lacazette and while the youngster Saka showed promise, the more experienced duo struggled to influence the game. Lacazette missed a  guilt edged chance to put his side in front while Aubameyang misjudged a headed chance. Arsenal had lots of the ball in the attacking third of the pitch but failed to create enough clear cut chances-an issue which has plagued the team for some time now. Jamie Vardy’s late winner felt almost inevitable as his stunning record against Arsenal continued. The Gunners were left licking their wounds after their third premier league defeat of the season and while the Emirates remains silent, tensions began to brew on social media.  

Defensive improvement should not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Leicester scored with virtually their only chance of the game on Sunday. Pep Guardiolas Manchester City team had to rely on the clinical Raheem Sterling to get over the line last week with Gabriel particularly impressive. Previously, the Gunners had been conceding far too many chances and too many goals. Now there is a much better structure and shape to the defensive unit. However, its at the other end of the pitch where Arsenal’s struggles have been most apparent. Fans will point to some of the chances Lacazette has spurned this season but in truth, Arsenals real issue is creation.  

The first and most obvious reasons for Arsenal’s lack of creativity is their lack of creative players. Arsenal’s Summer long hunt for Hossem Aauer ended in defeat and while the deadline day signing of Thomas Partey is a good addition to the Arsenal team-he’s hardly the creative spark that the Gunners have been sorely lacking.  Granit Xhaka is a good passer of the ball but doesn’t quite have the vision or technical ability to open up a packed defense.  Mohammed Elneny and Joe Willock are decent options that add depth but again, don’t have the quality to make Arsenal’s attack a more potent threat for opposing sides. Dani Ceballos is probably Arsenal’s most talented player creatively but the Spaniard normally operates in a deeper role alongside Granit Xhaka. Besides, talented as he may be, he doesn’t quite have the qualities Arsenal need going forward. Arsenal wingers also don’t do enough to create chances and so naturally, Arsenal generally don’t create enough chances. 

There’s not much Arsenal can do with the personnel issue they have until at least January. Perhaps the more consistent involvement of Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson could give them further options but fans shouldn’t expect a fluid attacking football this season-at least not on a week to week  basis.  However, personnel is not the only issue Arsenal have. A lack of movement and chemistry between their attacking players has made for a pretty turgid watching.  Hopes were high when Aubameyang joined Alexandre Lacazette at Arsenal in January 2018 but despite some promising early signs, their partnership never truly flourished.  Aubameyang was outstanding last season but Lacazette struggled for large parts managing just the 12 goals over the course of the season. The main problem is that they were never really built to play together. Both players thrive when leading the line and poaching goals and at Arsenal they have gotten in each others way far too often. Neither player is particularly adept at holding up the ball and neither is particularly creative .For a striking partnership to be to truly fruitful there needs to be a variety of qualities between the different attacking players and that just isn’t the case with Lacazette and Aubemeyang. Nicolas Pepe, Arsenal’s 72 million pound signing from last summer has yet to deliver on a consistent basis. At his best, the Ivorian is a skillful, direct winger who is almost impossible to defend against in one on one situations.  He’s also not the type of player that opens up deep lying defenses.   

A very simple thing Arsenal can do to combat their lack of creativity is to move the ball quicker. Too often, Arsenal play has been slow and ponderous and it’s relatively easy for an organized defense to keep them out. It’s not a very complicated solution but its once which should improve the fluidity of Arsenal’s attack. Movement also needs to improve, particularly among the front three. Arsenal no doubt need to add creativity to their midfield but their wingers and strikers have to be less static. These starts with very simple things like making runs in behind defenders. In general, Arsenal have been to cautious at times and would benefit from taking more risks on and off the ball. This may been that the defensive structure which has served Arteta and Arsenal relatively well is slightly negativley impacted but as the boss himself emphasized: Arsenal have to score more goals. This structure should still be an option for the big games against the best teams but Arsenal have to be happen to transition to a more attacking game plan against lesser opposition. 

Arsenal must solve midfield issues if they are to finish in the top four

Arsenal’s midfield has chopped and changed over the past number of years with some relatively successful combinations among some very odd and dysfunctional ones. In truth, however, it’s been an area of the pitch that hasn’t been quite right for some time. Coquelin alongside Cazorla and the current partnership of Xhaka and Ceballos are probably the best combinations since the days of Cesc Fabregas. However, there is a sense that Arsenal were and are compromising-a sense that they could do better. Coquelin came in from the cold when Arsenal were in dire straits and steadied the ship somewhat but the aforementioned relative success of this partnership was mainly based of the talent and ingenuity of Santi Cazorla. The current midfield, which we will concentrate on, also sort of fell together and lacks balance. However, while  It goes without saying that having a good quality midfield with players who are adaptable and interchangeable is a vital part of any teams success. With Arsenal, there has been far too much emphasis on finding the right partnership and not enough on building a midfield who have varying traits and attributes.  

Granit Xhaka is a much maligned figure and while his success under Mikel Areta has somewhat repaired his reputation among fans, he remains imperfect. The Swiss international is good passer of the ball  and his defensive discipline has improved under new boss Arteta, However, he doesn’t quiet have either the physically prowess or the technical ability to dominate a midfield which means his partner needs to compensate for by being both a defensive shield for the back 3 or 4 and also perform a role going forward. Dani Ceballos has done a relatively good job at times but there’s also been games where the Arsenal midfield have really struggled to gain any sort of control. West Ham at home this season was good example of the Xhaka-Ceballos limitations. They neither protected the defense nor contributed much towards Arsenals attacking play, albeit Ceballos did set up Nketiah for an equalizer. It’s these sort of games where the midfield tends to show its weaknesses. In the bigger games against better teams, Mikel Arteta can at least commit the midfield to a relatively simple game plan: ie protect the defense and keep the structure. Both Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos were impressive in Arsenal triumphant FA cup campaign last year. Both were excellent as Arsenal beat Manchester City 2-0 and Chelsea 2-1 to lift the cup for the 14th time. However, when there is more of an onus on Arsenal to assert their dominance, the need for reinforcement becomes apparent.  

Arsenal don’t seem to have much problem controlling possession in these sort of games. They had 63 % of possession of the ball against West Ham but still struggled for control of the game. They didn’t create many chances and conceded too many. Against Aston Villa away last season, they had 69% possession but didn’t even have a shot on target over the course of the entire game. This points to Arsenal not being efficient in possession and perhaps not having the quality to open up packed defenses. In contrast, Arsenal had 29 % of possession against Manchester City in the FA cup semi final last season and won 2-0. In the final, against Chelsea, they had just 40 % and won 2-1. In the premier league, Arsenal beat Southampton and Wolves  away from home with less possession than the opposition. In this sense, Arsenal’s quick, attacking wide players make them a dangerous counter attacking team that can take advantage of gaps left by the opposition searching for a goal. This is good asset to have and Arsenal were rewarded last year for their intelligent game plans. However, if they are to finish in the top 4 this year, they have to learn to control games.  

Arsenal have been heavily linked with Thomas Partey of Athletico Madrid and Hossem Aouar of Lyon as Mikel Arteta seeks a solution to the issues in midfield. These are two very different type of players that would both address certain issues. However, due to financial restrictions, it is unlikely that Arsenal will get both players so will have to choose or settle for the most plausible. Aouar feels like the most likely at the moment and could help alleviate Arsenal’s dearth of creatively. It feels like a case of either bringing in a talented attacking player that could help compensate for a relatively porous defence or bringing in a solid, physically dominant defensive midfielder that could help compensate for an attack that struggles to create chances and score goals. Arsenal are not in a position where they can cure their midfield problems with one signing but they don’t necessarily have the build the perfect midfield to be considerably better. They don’t have to become as good as Liverpool or Manchester City this season-they just have to be better than the likes of Manchester United and Chelse. Judging by the start to the seasons these two clubs have had, this is not exactly beyond the realms of possibility. Yet, Arsenal have to address the issue that has been holding them back for years.