Buendia sent of for Norwich today. He has that in him. Will be interesting to see where we go for our creative player in the summer

Derby v Stoke was on a couple of weeks ago. The Derby pitch was the worst of the lot. A total bog. Alan Hudson managed to glide across it mind you.

Big blow with Saka not in the squad today. Tierney still not fit and Aubameyang in quarantine.

Martinelli comes in for Saka

Well... bugger.

Ødegaard on the bench

1Leno
2Bellerín
16Holding
23David Luiz
17Cédric Soares
18Partey
34Xhaka
35Martinelli
32Smith Rowe
19Pépé
9Lacazette

Substitutes
6Gabriel
11Ødegaard
12Willian
13Rúnarsson
15Maitland-Niles
21Chambers
25Elneny
28Willock
30Nketiah

Hope we can keep the back door shut today and not leave that counter attack space in behind today.

What’s happened to Ceballos? Is he out of favour now?

Ødegaard on the bench suggests that he a) isn’t injured nor carrying a significant ongoing issue as has been reported as possible and b) has a level of match fitness that Arteta deems enough.

I’ve been pouring some cold water on this move but this makes me reevaluate somewhat. If he’s ready to play from now it gives him a fair bit of time to make an impact. Colour me a bit more optimistic and excited.

Just to counter this, my bad feeling about this game has only increased to the point where I'm now certain we'll lose.

No high press seemingly. Hopefully that means we’ll keep it tight at the back for the united counter.

Clear yellow for Bruno not given, takes his studs down Xhaka’s calf. They even checked it on var for a possible red. It wasn’t a red but a clear yellow

I’ve seen Pépé put an actual cross in and Lacazette have a shot on target. I thought Xhaka got that yellow card but it was Cédric. So no yellow for Granit in the first 18 minutes. So many good signs!

How was that not a yellow? No attempt whatsoever to play the ball, and raked his studs down Xhaka's achilles? And checked by VAR?

Looked like a clear yellow to me too. Puzzled why the VAR didn’t reflect that.

Also why can’t the ref watch the var and decide it is a yellow.
Remember when Emile Smith Rowe was sent off wrongly in the cup and they watched var and have a yellow so they can do it

I think VAR can recommend a review of serious foul play - i.e. a straight red or an upgrade yellow to red - but not a yellow.

Ah that would explain it.

The laws of the game are increasingly arcane and bewildering to an old duffer like me.

Playing well again today. Entertaining and encouraging so far.

I think the actual wording is “VAR is allowed to set a precedent to *%^@ Arsenal, but isn’t able to apply current basic operating procedure to throw them a *%^@*** bone.”

Clear foul throw from cavani

At least we haven’t suffered some of the bizarre nonsenses that have affected other clubs recently - resulting in re-interpretation of the laws (whatever that means).

Great defending from Martinelli

Why did smith-rowe’s review end up with him getting a yellow then?

Great move by Smith Rowe and Pépé. Working well together.

We have genuine threat on the counter attack. So nice to see

Because it was originally a red?

So I think because the VAR invited the ref to view the monitor.

So a red can be reviewed and have 3 outcomes, uphold the red, downgrade to yellow or downgrade to nothing.
But if nothing was given and it is reviewed for a possible red there are only 2 possible outcomes, red or nothing

VAR suggested to the Ref he had made a mistake and might want to review. He did and decided there was no foul, let alone ‘serious foul play’.

All bafflingly nonsensical isn’t it?

Not sure a red can ever be downgraded to a yellow, either by VAR or by appeal.

An interesting 0-0 rather than a boring 0-0 at half time.

More encouraging signs of progress.

Straight red cards have been reviewed by VAR and downgraded to yellows during the game a number of times.

Bruno Fernandes is one of the biggest exaggerators/divers in the league. He’s looking for it every single time he is challenged.

Not bad but lost our way a little in the last 10 mins or so.

Martinelli is running around defending like a blue arsed fly but not really able to contribute much in an attacking sense. Maybe Arteta will bring on Ødegaard to try and introduce a little more guile on that side.

I like Smith-Rowe's economy of touch, he rarely takes two or more touches if one will do the job very nicely.

Yes, was noticing he rarely invites the tackle like Wilshere used to.

OK. Ta. Didn’t know that.

Willian on for Martinelli

Last chance saloon for him in my book. If he doesn’t put in ALL the effort here and make something, anything, happen. He can *%^@ off as far as I care.

Partey's passing has been poor at times.