But for the late and fortunate winner v Wolves and the late winner and then subsequent missed penalty v West Hame we'd be on equal points as Man U.

I always find it interesting to try to look at the stats of games and context of the performances because these will catch up with you and results will follow. Man U were poor against Wolves and West Ham and finally got punished for an equally poor performance against Villa with the defeat their previous 2 games might have deserved.

It reminds us of where we need to improve as I still see us as a team who generally only wins when we play well or clearly deserve it.

As the players came out Ramsdale and others were clapping the supporters. I think there are so many likeable players in the side, as a supporter you are prepared to cut them a lot of slack. The team looked balanced yesterday. You can’t fit Pépé Emile Smith Rowe Saka and Ødegaard all on to the field at the same time IMO. That’s not to say they can’t be rotated. Tomiyasu has been a very good buy.

This is a very valuable point to highlight.

The behind doors games appeared to be essentially high intensity training sessions where pretty much anything can happen.

Confidence plays a massive part in football as confidence enables creativity and expression and the players seeing that they have a stadium full of fans cheering them on like yesterday can only help especially for a team like ours with so many young players. Without that they are essentially listening to the media and social media to gauge people’s opinions on their performances and that is not good.

Yes you can, worked well againest Burnley. If you are playing a team less likely to dominate the middle of the park like a top 4 side or Leicester you can sacrifice some of your combativeness in the middle for creativity.

I can see us using that formation a lot this season especially at the Emirates so expect to be disappointed again.

Trying to show with these screengrabs the pace of Smith Rowe which I'm not sure I appreciated he had.
image 1 he receives the ball and flicks it to Tierney - Sanchez I think is tight to him
image 2 Aubameyang flicks it round the corner and Emile Smith Rowe is 5 yards ahead of Sanchez
image 3 as Emile Smith Rowe bursts in to the area Snahcez is only just in the frame

I think Aubameyang in particular is someone who thrives off the crowd, I thought for all the plaudits other players were rightly getting yesterday I really enjoyed Aubameyang's performance leading the line. If we can get him at those sorts of levels for just 3/4 games this season we'll have a good season

Some pretty damning stats for Spurs after yesterday's game.
They rank 18th for goals scored, 19th for shots, 18th for shots conceded, 19th for expected goals and 20th for distance covered.

City look like they've done enough to completely disturb Kane, their midfield lacks skill, pace and balance. I saw them play a midfield of Hojberg, Skipp and Winks the other day - that is championship level.

They've bought a new CB and new RB and neither started against us. Dier and Sanchez will always have a mistake in them. Yesterday they seemed to just bypass their midfield and we had huge joy in almost creating a box style central midfield: Xhaka deep left, Partey deep right, Smith Rowe advanced left and Ødegaard advanced right - the later two in those half spaces that Spurs just struggled to pick up. Tierney and Saka kept the width for us and the back 3 provided a solid foundation.

I think you're right on the likability of the team and squad. Of course we all tend to like players better when they're winning matches and scoring goals but I think we're talking about personalities above football skills.
We seem to have the makings of a group who are humble but willing to fight for each other, the fans and the manager. There seems to be a sense that a lot of the players we have are ecstatic to be playing for The Arsenal. Obviously the Hale End boys but players like Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Tavares, Lokonga, White see us as a big deal, there isn't any moping around it feels more like an attitude of work hard and get back where we belong - a sense of opportunity.
Also, I'm not sure if this is a younger generation thing but I do believe younger footballers are more socially aware. The drinking and party culture is dead or dying and even the flashyness is not 'in fashion' anymore. Younger players, particularly those from more humble beginnings, realise they really are role models and have a big opportunity to give back - and I don't know if this is just Arsenal (because I don't listen enough to other teams players) but the younger lads speak very well in the media. I recall when Walcott joined how well he spoke for someone so young as it seemed to go against the stereotype so much. younger players potentially feel more relaxed in their media duties so you see more of the personalities - particularly evident in interviews I've seen with Saka and more recently Ramsdale.

Ashburton Grove has never been the forgress Highbury was. Last night could have been because its an NLD but if we can get anywhere close to that atmosphere on a regular basis, it's worth several points over the course of a season.

We're playing games now with what has to be described as our best 11, and in reality most of those 11 positions are clear now. What we need to do now is:
1. ensure that 11 stays as fit as possible and get them playing to that level as often as possible
2. not alienate the support cast
3. work out a way the players outside of that 11 can slot in and be equally effective

When I look through the squad and what Arteta wants from each player in each position there does seem to be quite some drop off in quality. I'd argue that Lokonga could come in to central midfield, Pépé could come in and Lacazette could play the central striker and things shouldn't drop off to much.

The key is not having too many of these 2nd 11 players slotting in at the same time. Tomiyasu appears to have a skillset that none of our other RB have so him being out would require a certain rethink, but Tavares looks a more raw Tierney so I would hope he could fit in with the other 10 and not lose too much.

Although, I found an old article from december 2020 that tracked the first 272 games at the Emirates vs the final 272 games at Highbury and The Emirates comes out on top. 178 wins at The Emirates compared to 171 wins at Highbury, exactly the same amount of defeats with 35.

It's true. So far we've beaten the three worst teams in the league.

The most interesting quote I saw over the weekend said Spurs were cosplaying a big club.
Applies to us too. Ever since the coming of the oligarchs and the stadium we were outdone for money. History held us up for a while. Then we went into cosplay mode acting big. Buying Özil & Sanchez & extending Özil. Spent a lot of money but distorted the team.

Original Wenger was based on younger, cheaper signings. (And an inherited defence.)

This summer's window is the most impressive I can remember for us. Many signings, who all appear to be good and worth the money. It's a very long time since that was true. And potential to grow.

What I liked most about the match was that we showed style. First evidence I've seen that Arteta envisages a team with the old Wenger style and swagger. Well, not the same but still good to watch. That was one of my biggest doubts - mostly because he'd never had the players, which I appreciated but nice to see an example of style. Even if we won't be in a position to repeat it very often.

Yeah, it was so good to seem him back with a bit of fire.
And Emile Smith Rowe and Saka scoring.

A few good stats after the weekend.

Emile Smith Rowe has more shots on target and attempted dribbles so far this season that he did on the whole of last season (league only)

Arsenal have been dribbled past by their opponents the least in the league so far this season. A better emphasis on 'winning duels'? - which seems to be a new buzz theme in football.

I wanted to see the average position plan of the Arsenal team from Sunday to see if it backed up what I watched in the match - essentially Emile Smith Rowe and Ødegaard constantly in the half spaces and pockets of spaces making them very difficult to pick up, especially by an accommodating and frankly terrible Spurs midfield.

You often see training pitches marked out how I've tried to do with the red lines below. 3 central zones in the attacking half indicating the space between the box and 6 yard box on each side and a wider central zone. Emile Smith Rowe (10) and Ødegaard (8) were perfectly in these spaces a lot of the time. Aubameyang holding the central ground and Saka and Tierney providing the width.

All very promising.

If you’re right and the first eleven is to be taken as yesterday’s starting team, so:
Goal: Ramsdale
Full backs: Tomiyasu and Tierney
Central defence: White and Gabriel
Deeper midfield: Partey and.Xhaka
Wide or advanced: Saka, Smith Rowe and Ødegaard
Striker: Aubameyang.

That makes the back up players:
Goal: Leno
Full backs: Tavares, Maitland-Niles, Cédric and Kolasinac
Central defence: Mari, Holding and Chambers
Deeper midfield: Lokonga and Elneny
Wide or advanced: Pépé and Martinelli
Striker: Lacazette, Balogun and Nketiah

So eleven first teasers and fifteen back ups. Out of the fifteen, I reckon you can get an eleven that would finish at least mid-table in the Premier League.

Suppose it depends what you mean by “style and swagger”. But for me, towards the end of Wenger’s tenure, style and swagger are not words I’d consistently associate with our style of play.

Hey Rich,

Interesting stat that seems to refute that our new stadium is more of a fortress than what fans (like me) are saying.

It's also interesting to use 272 games. It's a very odd number of games. Wouldn't it better to simply say seasons? 38 gamesin a season 19 at home, plus cup ties, hmm...another 10 or so give or take? So, can we just round up to 30 home games a season? Or is that too much? Anyway, we divide that into 272 (math was never my strong point, carry the....oh I'll just use my calculator ) we are talking 9 seasons maybe.
AG was ready in 2004, right? Okay, go back 9 years and we are in the mid 90s, and we didn't really start doing well till '97 so a decent 7 years of top football. Since 2004 we were pretty good, top 4 the whole time, did better in the CL, 2013 or so would be 9 years since.

First or second from '98 to '04, third or fourth for several years since '04 except 1 season.

Hmm...

Looks very strong to me not many teams can better that squad.

American, I know you’ll deny reading this post but the Emirates opened in 2006, not 2004. The start of the 2006/07 season, meaning Highbury closed at the end of the 2005/06 season.

The number of games surely has to be more accurate than the kind of rounding up or down by season you suggest. We play 19 league games at home each season, or at least since the top tier league became twenty clubs. But we don’t play the same number at home (or away) each season because we don’t play the same number of domestic cup games, let along factors like getting knocked out the Champions League or Europa League at different stages and not even being in Europe this season.

We obviously get more home draws in domestic cups some seasons than others, as well as getting knocked out at different points. Indeed, semi-finals of the League Cup are routinely two matches (one home and one away) and FA Cup semis are single games at a neutral venue.

What does skew the comparison, and surely to make the Emirates look worse than Highbury, is the behind closed doors games we had in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons. That didn’t happen at Highbury and while I don’t have the figures to hand it’s commonly accepted holding games behind closed doors made clubs’ home records worse and away records better. Therefore, the behind closed doors policy presumably made the Emirates look worse than it would have if all its games had been played in front of crowds.

So if one wants to draw any general conclusions from Rich’s stats, I would suggests it supports the notion that the Emirates is more of a fortress than Highbury, rather than refute it as you said.

I agree bubblechris. What I probably should have pointed out as well is that some players, Maitland-Niles being a very obvious example, can cover a variety of positions as a squad back up like in his case right back and deeper midfield. Chambers has played at right back and central defence for Arsenal, and deep midfield at Fulham where he did well.

I didn’t include that young boy Patino everyone is drooling about, but maybe he can be added to the ‘wide and advanced’ options later in the season if he makes his debut? But even if he doesn’t, I still think Arsenal have a strong looking squad.

What actually is our strongest first eleven will inevitably be debatable as well. To give a couple of examples, I have little or no doubt that some would rather see Lokonga in it than Xhaka, while others may support finding a place for Pépé. But as I say, looking at our group of players as a whole, my own judgment is that we have a strong squad that offers not only fine players to choose from, but the option to play alternative systems and use different tactics.

My guess as to why they used 272 games is that at the time of the article we had played 272 games at the Emirates and thus were compared against the same number at the Arsenal Stadium.

I’m sure you’re right LTG. I must admit, just having noticed the article Rich was referring to was from December 2020, that will affect the extent of the relevance of my point about the behind closed doors games as those games in the second half of last season won’t be included in the 272. However, the general point about the policy still being relevant to any comparison between the Emirates and Highbury remains valid.

Final episode of fever pitch premier league years on bbc last night supposedly focussed on Wengers introduction which it did for the first 15 minutes loosely covered our 98 title then reverted to type covering Man United again about focussing solely on their failed sky takeover then their treble in 99 and finished ignoring the invincible season entirely.

The series ends as pretty much a sickening homage to man united and Alex Ferguson and the producers must have been fans themselves.

Top Guns review.. 2 stars out 10. Predictable man united drivel

Exactly that

I thought much the same. Interestingly in the fast paces clips showing tackles flying in during Arsenal v Man U games there were a much higher proportion of Man U fouls than Arsenal. No doubt we got a few good kicks in during those games but my perception at the time and still is now that Man U decided the only way to beat us was through old fashioned thuggery. It was always very interesting to see those tactics play out very clearly at old trafford but much less so at highbury

Looks very strong to me not many teams can better that squad.[/quote]
I'm probably less optimistic than the two of your regarding the strength in depth. It is there in numbers for sure and I would maybe agree that outside of the big 4 we may indeed have the strongest overall squad.....however I do fear key players missing in key positions. As I said it is more when a collection of first 11 players are missing as I think we have players who can slot in but I do think the drop off from first 11 player to back up is stark in some areas.

Exactly the point made on the Times podcast today. They were complimentary about the first 11 though.

On paper it looks a reasonable 2nd 11 but the performances of those players when brought in from time To time doesn’t really match the reputation we as fans give them. Our genuine options off the bench to change a game if it’s not going our way are Martinelli (jury is still out for me) , lacazette and Lokonga.

Doesn’t really feel like an excess of firepower if you know what I mean.

Take a look at United, city’s and Chelsea’s 2nd 11

Read some reports Xhaka’s knee injury will keep him out for 6-8 weeks. 2 of those will be taken up by the international break, could have been worse if that diagnoses is true

Makes sense. And I use the comments of folks who said they were at games saying the atmosphere wasn't the same.

In any event, it was very apparant on TV the fans were into it full tilt. Long may it continue.

Would any club expect their second eleven to be as strong as their first eleven? If City, Chelsea, Liverpool and United all had their first team out I bet Guardiola, Tuchel, Klopp and OGS would all be moaning quick enough. Let’s go through Arsenal’s.

Goal: Ramsdale out, Leno in? Not a big difference in my view.
Right back: Tomiyasu out, Maitland-Niles in? Is the difference that huge?
Left back: Tierney out, Tavares in? I’ve been impressed with Tavares so far and if anyone can cover Tierney adequately, I think it’s him.
Central defence: White and Gabriel out with Holding and Mari out. A bigger drop in quality here perhaps, but I’ve seen both White (at Brentford) and Gabriel look poor with Holding and Mari doing well individually.
Deep midfield. Partey and Xhaka out, I think Lokonga could cover either adequately. If Tomiyasu isn’t out at the same time then Maitland-Niles could come in if both Partey and Xhaka are out together.
Wide or advanced: Saka and Smith Rowe out, Pépé and Martinelli in? I think arguments can be made a place should be found for Pépé anyway, and many still see Martinelli as a hot prospect. Ødegaard looks a serious loss but maybe, just maybe, it won’t be too long before Patino can cover him adequately for a game or two.
Striker: Aubameyang out, Lacazette in? Is that a terrible drop in standard? Aubameyang has had some very poor games, after all.

As I said earlier, any club would probably suffer if its manager’s first choice eleven was out. Arteta’s as well. But I don’t think our second eleven is as bad as you.

Tough game coming up. Brighton playing well if we go by the table. A lesser test than Sperz perhaps but its on the road against a team in form.

I'm actually quite surprised that people have gone so rapidly from being close to despair to being so positive about our first 11, let alone our backup players. I'm inclined to be cautious, given that players like White, Ramsdale, Tomiyasu and to a lesser extent even Emile Smith Rowe and Ødegaard are essentially untested, and our wins have come against inferior opposition (Spuds must be included in that bracket at the moment).

However, it is very exciting, with everyone fit, and a string of winnable games coming up, up until Liverpool away. Unless we are very unfortunate with injury, it will be a opportunity to gauge just how good the team and Areteta are and how well the 'project' is developing.

But I do agree with you about the depth of the squad at present. It looks good.

Indeed. Probably more of a test that Spurs actually. Looking forward to it!

You got in before I did my Leno instead of Klopp edit.