That's a yes for me. When we first started that good run by winning against Tottenham in such a convincing fashion it felt as if we'd maybe turned a corner. Then we dropped down again after a couple of good performances and the doubts returned. However we picked ourselves up again, and judging the first half of the season as a whole we've taken a clear step forward to where we're now consistently looking impressive. It's never been just about the results for me - I wanted to see a clear direction forward with the way we play, and we're seeing that now. The players are growing in confidence, and they're clearly buying into Arteta's philosophy.

That is true. But the fact that a player is exposed in no way exonerates him for attempting such wild challenge. Too many rash moments like that from Xhaka, I'm afraid.

Contrary to reports last night there may still be life in the Arthur Melo deal. Arsenal want loan with option to buy, Juve wanted obligation to buy. Clubs negotiating the loan fee and Arsenal to cover full salary which is apparently £125k per week - so £3.2m for the 6 months he'd be with us

Very, very nervous about the NLD. Not that I don't think we can beat them or at least good for a draw (which I'd take right now). I am worried we exerted too much team energy against the Reds. I hate losing to the scum more than almost anything. No more than any gooner I suppose but its painful and I am glad I don't live in London when it happens.

Yeah, it's pretty simple the way I see it; if we continue to perform like we did against City we're going to win a lot of games and pick up a lot more points than if we continue to perform like we did in the win against Burnley.

It's important not to look too much at individual results. If you generally perform well you will get rewarded over a long period of time. I think we're seeing the opposite with Man Utd to draw a comparison; they haven't performed well consistently for ages, winning mostly because of individual efforts by a few very talented players. In the long run that's not sustainable, and that's why we've seen them slide down the table this season.

I suppose an obligation might be ok I mean he’s a decent signing for the amount being reported.

The only problem as I see it is that we need a defensive midfielder to replace Mr Red Card rather than a box to box type. Seems he’s more of a Partey than of Mr Red Card or a guimares.

Looking ahead to Sunday, it's obviously a huge game. A win would be a firm statement that we're on our way to a top 4 finish. At the same time, we shouldn't build it up too much - a loss doesn't mean the end of our fight for a CL spot.

If we do lose, they'd be one point ahead of us with two games in hand. However, our next 5 league games after Tottenham are Burnely (H), Wolves (A), Brentford (H), Watford (A) and Leicester (H). All very winnable games. Tottenham on the other hand, have Leicester (A), Chelsea (A), Southampton (H), Wolves (H), and Man City (A). Fair to say we can expect them to drop some points during that run.

Looking forward to Sunday, though not without a healthy degree of trepidation. I think this will be the first that most Gooners have seen of their new stadium. It's certainly my first time.

You going, Bern? Anyone else?

Yeah I am. My first visit too, at least inside the ground. When I test drove my current car (so I did end up buying it), it was from the BMW showroom on the Great Cambridge Road, the A10. It was when because of Covid they were letting potential customers test drive cars alone and they asked me to bring it back between an hour and ninety minutes. You can go quite some distance in that time.

So I was thinking ‘where the hell shall I go’? I thought ‘I know, I will go and see Tottenham’s new ground’, (as well as other places which are hardly the other end of the country). I have to say it looks very impressive from the outside.

I'm trying a new access route this time. Though I always used to, I haven't driven there for years so more recently I've walked from Seven Sisters - bloody 30 min yomp. On Sunday though, I have a pissy lunch in The City beforehand and I'll be taking a train from Liverpool St to White Hart Lane - 23 mins. Some trains are 18 mins.

I’ll be going to White Hart Lane station as well. Mind you I always did for their old ground since the parking restrictions on the road White Hart Lane made me stop driving there.

I think for most players it will be more mental exhaustion than physical. The back 5 in particular can;t have run as far in that game as a typical game as we pretty much set up camp in our own box.

Burnley v Leicester is postponed as Burnley don't have enough players.

Arteta does need to give consideration to trying to postpone v Spurs. If it were me it would rest on Tomiyasu, Emile Smith Rowe and Saka all being fit. If we can play all of those then play the game. If they're out then we have to push for the postponement.

Spurs are missing Son and Romero (as far as I can tell), We're missing half a squad. I'd rather play them with all our players back and them having Son back but I could understand if we decide to go ahead and use it as some kind of siege mentality.

I thought both got it right

Agree, extend Arteta's contract

We need to push for a Postponement. Find a way.

The sheer number of players missing if saka and soares don’t make it

I think we'll try, and I think we have a shot.

But honestly, if we get the game postponed, isn't that another example of how ridiculous the rules are? Do we have anyone other than Ødegaard out with covid currently? Aubameyang, Partey, Elneny and Pépé are at AFCON. Smith-Rowe and Tomiyasu are injured, possibly Cédric and Saka too. Xhaka is suspended. It's not really related to covid at all.

I'd fancy our chances with them not having Son. He's that good. He's their poor man's Salah at times. A full strength and fairly rested Arsenal squad right now can hold themselves against any one in the league for a time if not the whole match.

Still, NLDs are tricky, passion, referees thinking they are the main attraction, the crowd, anything can and does happen.

I'd rather not face Son if its all the same to you....haha.

We have 12 players off now.

Get it played. There are always going to be easy excuses in a season like this, affected as it has been by Covid / ACN - and there are always particular issues at this time of the year. We're not alone.

I think their best player by a distance is Son and I'd prefer to take them on without him. Also, on Saka, he has a habit of looking crocked for the season then coming back fresh as a daisy for the next game.

We have a season mercifully free of mid-week commitments. We should capitalise on that advantage. Postponed games just lead to confusion and fixture chaos.

EDIT

Seems this has legs.

"It has now been confirmed that Arsenal are in talks with the Premier League over the fixture."

https://dailycannon.com/2022/01/north-london-derby-postponement/

It'd be a shame.

We only have the league left aside from next week againest Liverpool and to play spurs away without saka, Tommy, partey & possibly Emile Smith Rowe and Ødegaard would be really difficult

I think I may be coming around to the same inevitable conclusion, TG. I hadn't realised our list of unavailable players was quite so long.

It'd be a great shame though. I've had my arrangements in place for a while and I've been looking forward to the occasion all season. But my losses and disruption will pale into insignificance when set against the poor sods who are right now jetting in from all over the world for the NLD.

Looks as though the NLD Sunday maybe called off. Too many players unavailable. Test results will determine obviously. Rather this match goes ahead just to get it over with.
Wouldn't like this Sunday call off impacting second leg of EFL.

Yes the rules are unclear and ridiculous but at least if our game got called off it would be consistent with other teams who have had games called off.

Yeah, definitely not saying we'd be the first one to hide behind the rules. Though I'm genuinely curious if any team has had a game postponed because of one single covid case?

I've seen a few people blog or post about our support this season and the connection with the fans, and that they seem to be surrounded by a much younger following for The Arsenal. It's great if that's true because there was a danger that with us not being a title chasing or even CL team for a while now that we might lose these younger fans to other clubs - I'm sure that has happened a fair bit especially with the rise of Chelsea and City.

I wonder if the new younger Arsenal- particularly with players like Saka and Smith Rowe, local academy players who younger fans can instantly identify with has a big factor in this next generation of support. Even little things like the interaction and energy Ramsdale brings help. Also, I don't know if its confirmation bias but our players do seem to go to the fans a lot more post games, lots more shirts thrown to the crowd etc. I think something like the reaction at full time to the City home defeat would have been amazing for the players - to know your fans cheer and applaud you off the pitch after losing in the 93rd minute.

Pessimists and fans of other clubs would use this as some way to beat the club down as they'd say it 'shows how far we've fallen', but I'd ignore that and just look forward and be excited about the future of the club.

I think Arteta deserves his contract and I hope the board back him and Edu with the money they need to have another summer like we had last year, because another one like that and we could be really on our way back challenging.

We’ve got two if you count Aubameyang.

Seems Edu and Co. missed the 12 noon registration loan signing deadline today for new midfielder Arthur Melo to even play in the NLD.
According to the registration PL rules anyway.

The whole scenario of games getting postponed for spurious reasons has been a disgrace. But there is no way the PL can turn down our request given that they've granted all the others.

They are going to turn it down aren’t they

Paranoia will reach breitbart levels.

I mean, we're probably not going to have him start against Tottenham away without a single training session with the team anyway.

Huge game at a prime 4.30pm kick off for the sky cameras with no other games at that time. I think they'll make us play.
If they do it wouldn't surprise me if some of the players we're saying are injured will play, and of course everyone will crucify us - but I suspect many, many footballers play injured but we're using those slight injuries to enhance our case for getting the game called off.

It's not different to what other clubs are doing, so while I think the rules are bonkers I put zero blame on the club for this. Their job is to put us in the best position to win games, and clearly they feel that's what they're doing.

Well as of now I'd suspect that getting the NLD called off took prority. So a pre-training session wouldn't be feasible. Allegri rather Melo not go out on loan to Arsenal anyway.

It wouldn't be a shock if we were turned down though. Not looking for excuses, but if the club has a very good case to have it called off, so be it. There was no hesitation for the Burnley-Leicester match being called off. I'm assuming this is only the second time off request the club has submitted, being the Brentford match beginning of the season was turned down.

Time to write another glorious chapter in the Clubs history perhaps ; hard on the heels of our Warsaw Ghetto moment at Anfield ,

Arsenal wracked by injuries , Covid and suspensions , having missed the loan deadline .......who do they call ? .... Jack Wilshere
He has been training with us ; so not totally out of condition .

Think of the storyline ... Aging gnarled old hero plucked from the wilderness to vanquish their bitter most hated enemy .... classic Roy of the Rovers stuff .

No Pyrrhic victory here Decaf .... this would be Patten entering Berlin atop a Sherman waving his twin pearl handled Colts in all directions .

Spurs are reportedly annoyed at arsenal asking for the game to be called off, potentially because of the late timing…..which is quite rich for a team who let Rennes fly to London before they told them they asked for the game to be called off

Good spot.

Clowns. Media darlings who never actually do anything. One single trophy in the 21st century.

I’m with DHD on this and hope it isn’t postponed. It would be far better to play them without Son and I suspect Rich is right when I think he said if it is played, lots of our supposedly injured players will somehow make miraculous recoveries and be on the pitch this Sunday.