More likely it's a vote of confidence, showing that Havertz is seen as a core player who be featuring heavily in the two huge games we have in the next 6 days.

Spurs have conceded 16 more goals than us and their xG conceded shows they should have conceded 25 more. Their defence is wide open week after week and they’re still mostly not getting punished enough for it.
There were people actually saying they’d take spurs back 4 over Arsenal’s earlier in the season!

He's winning duels and getting better and better at that free role. His positional sense is excellent.

Having these extra six-footers in the team is a massive bonus too. Six 6-footers in the team yesterday!

The beauty of this team is we now have multiple ways of scoring goals. We're dangerous on set pieces, against a low block (particularly if that means the opposition is going to concede corners and free kick), on transitions, and when teams try to press high.

Trossard has 8 goal contributions in 880 minutes in the league (excluding winning the penalty yesterday), i.e 0.82 per 90, reinforcing the impression that if we play him up front he'll almost always click. A gem of a player.

Spurs getting a CL place would be bad, but United sneaking in would be a real travesty. Five teams in the CL is rubbish.

Havertz and Trossard interchanging positions in the last 2 games has the opponents befuddled and it’s brilliant to watch

55 points, with 13 games and 39 points left to play for
W10 D2 L1 gives us 87 points I think that would be very close as long as the defeat isn’t City (a)

Love seeing them lose, especially at home. However, they are playing way better than I and pretty much everyone else thought (perhaps even their own fans) after losing Kane. Kane was pivotal to them being in the CL and not buying a comparable replacement, no one though Son was enough.

They bought well in the midfield. The midfield is playing beyond expectations and that has made them top 4 contenders. I am still upset we only got a draw against them (Was it a Jorginho mistake). I thought we should have one even at a time in the season we weren't hitting top gear.

They are a tough team this year. Yes, at times they get bad results, but they are a tough team to beat. I am worried actually about playing them (Newcastle and Chelsea).

Really interesting how last season it could definitely be argued that Zinchenko and Jesus were the catalyst to turn us in to title contenders- but with their patchy injury record we’ve evolved in to a team that doesn’t rely on them to still perform at the top level.

I think this is what Arteta had in mind this season, making us less predictable and less reliant on any individual for performance and fluidity. With so many options at full back (which was key for the Timber signing) teams don’t know if we’ll invert from the left or right or at all. Partey/Jorginho/Rice at the base in a double pivot or single pivot. Multiple options at 8. Havertz being able to play as an 8, a classic 9 or a floating 10.
The final steps for me are adding a high quality CF (Osimhen/Toney) something else on the wing with raw pace (Neto/Williams) someone in midfield with direct dribbling ability (could be smith-Rowe but I like Eze) and CB/FB cover (Diamonde for Cb or Frimpong for RB)

Yes, along with our corner kick tactics. It was obvious Burnley watched the films of the goals and were trying to neutralize Ben White from getting in front of the keeper. There should be an alternative if that happens.

Ødegaard dropping deep to give a second option to Rice from the back as well. But Trossard is hungry and is playing very well. Havertz finally improving. I have to think he wasn't discussed much by the opposition in the build up to our games and has snuck in under the radar a bit. Can't see any opposition manager spending time discussing how he is a threat. Perhaps they will now, but I can't see that prior.

Kiwior deserves some credit. He played terribly at left back at the start of the season but has done well in recent games even supplying an assist yesterday.

The sequence of play where he shepherded the ball over the touchline was a decent example of defensive solidity. Really not sure you get this with Zinchenko

Err ahhm not so fast here Pythagorus ....... .... Gabriel , Saliba , White , Kiwior . Havertz , Raya , Rice

..... okay let's do the maths two plus three multiplied by 6 minus 23 ... I make that seven pink Haka

Yes, you are right. I meant outfield players.

In any case, a far cry from the skilled midgets of yesteryear.

Kiwior keeps his place for my money. He seems to have figured out his role really well.

I heard one online pundit who supports a big club say "Arsenal look incredible, even though their fans are annoying".

I have personal friends who are Arsenal supporters. American but also Brits I've met largely at the pub in America. Also other countries. I have not heard any of them be over the top about us challenging for the last 18 months or so.

Just like on here, they are all cautiously optimistic. All support have a few idiots who will go online or call in to a show and be over the top and say we are better than Real Madrid.

Maybe in London it's like that. I've seen Tottenham fans do that. Maybe I am biased because of the rivalry but I've consistently heard Sperz fans overstate their place in the footballing world. Embarrassingly so at times.

Spurs under Conte after 25 games 45 points, Ange after 25 games 47 points.
Now I completely understand that they are very different managers and Ange looks far better set up for long term stability and his style of football is certainly more fun, but don’t let spurs fans kid anyone that the results are (at the moment) much better than when Conte took over

And still playing a very easy on the eye style of football that not just skilled midgets can play.
Pace and power - it was Wenger’s modus operandi until he became seduced by Fabregas and Barcelona and he stripped the team of it.
We are a seriously powerful team with great pace at the back to be able to defend high and more than enough pace up front to punish teams

We are also mixing it up more now. More balls over the top for runners. Gives the opposing manager more to think about. We must not allow them to "park the bus" to deny us.

Agree with you. Glad he has started to play better with the team. Made me eat some humble pie, but I'm glad to eat it.

Szobaszlai 3 goals and 4 assists in the league - praised heavily for his impact
Havertz 5 goals and 3 assists in the league - called the worst signing of the summer and heavily criticised

careful ..... we have a maths genius within us

I think Kiwior is worth some applauding. He has had to jump into the proverbial deep end in a club that is playing for top honors. He's been fairly steady and relatively error free. Will he be Sol Campbell? No. But he's a solid defender that will get better with minutes.

The former had Kane. I don't think that can be overstated. He was vital to them being a CL level side. He and Son were the Batman and Robin of the league more or less. I think what they have done with primarily Son as the go to guy is very good. Mentally, it must have been bad losing Kane as well.

They get a proper, quality number 9 with their midfield they will be tough to keep out of the opposition goal. Son is 31 and with how he plays he's got maybe 2 more years of high production. Replacing him will be a monumental task. For me, the better Korean player compared to Park at Man Utd. Although Park had a far higher work rate.

One of the worst tackles I’ve seen this season by Holgate there, deserved red. Amazing that the ref only gave a yellow to start with, correctly told to review by VAR. Its decisions like these is why VAR has to stay, we cannot get rid of it because it really does correct the shockingly bad decisions

https://x.com/eduardohagn/status/175922 ... -j6VVZXEoA

This is the tackle. If you properly understand the intent and mentality of footballers you know a tackle like this is done because Holgate is convinced he can win the ball but he isn’t content with just winning the ball he wants to leave something on his opponent with his follow through and is of the opinion that by winning the ball first anything after is fair game - because refs have historically rarely punished this (they have started to) this is exactly the kind of attitude that was in play when teams played us for so many years

Champions league knock out game next, so great to have these games back it’s been too long. However, away in the CL on Wednesday night in Portugal then coming back for a Saturday evening game v Newcastle. I wouldn’t underestimate how much Wednesday will take out of us. There really may be need for some rotation so having the likes of Tomiyasu, Zinchenko, Jesus, Partey all ready to play a part will be crucial as I’m sure there will need to be some rotation

Great decision ref.

https://x.com/afcamden/status/175922415 ... 2SVs7ar8TQ

Love the player complaining about the yellow before it got changed

Casemiro a red card waiting to happen.

How poor is Kalvin Phillips now? There is no way he should be going to the euros. I’d take Mainoo over him easily, I’d also take Ross Barkley over him

Every game he is. Compare the reaction to his disciplinary record against Xhaka…..Xhaka had a short fuse and could make a reckless tackle but not once was he sent off for two yellows

Wilder admitted it was a red, but I don’t like the way he said ‘according to the officials and var’ as though there is a hint of doubt he also said ‘we have to admit, me included, that the game has moved on’ insinuating it was t that long ago that you could make tackles like that fair and square! Blimey, that kind of thing has been a red card for 30 years.

You may realise that I dislike Wilder, he’s one of those old school managers with an arrogant chip on their shoulder

Subbed off at half time along with Maguire. Absolute pair of liabilities. Man U will probably win yet another game they have wobbled badly in. Very very lucky team.

Even the two goals they scored, terrible defensive back pass and a deflection, not really any great play from them but they found themselves 2-0 up

Did you see the clip of him moaning about the Lino eating a sandwich

What an absolute helmet

Lakonga was very good today

Yep, he’s been charged by the FA for that interview. As well as demanding respect (eating a sandwich was deemed disrespectful by Wilder) from the officials when he wanted to rant at them at the end of the game, he also said a former Ref had said to him that Sheff Utd will not get any 50/50 decisions for the rest of the season.

Pillock

Worth noting when Liverpool fans moan about their injury list that two of their injuries (Trent and Thiago) are because Liverpool rushed them back too early and made the injury worse.

Not to wish injury on teams/players but a few key injuries for Liverpool and City could be a big boost to our title chances. Rodri is absolutely key for City - I’m watching his yellow card count to hope he gets to 10 and gets a 2 game ban

I bet if you had told any of them that they would sell Kane and be where they are now they would not believe it. I take my hat off to Levy because he has managed to totally dodge the bullets. When they sold Kane many of their supporters were talking 8-10th place at best. They never had a great squad and still don’t. But Kane is rarely mentioned . The football Ange plays is high risk and they can easily be found out but at other times it gives you a real lift. Always has done since his Brisbane Roar days. What we must ensure is that we don’t drop points to them: pure and simple.

Casemiro being subbed at half time because he was on a yellow shows how important it is for refs to properly enforce the rules on early yellow cards where warranted. Casemiro was booked, then made another foul shortly after and the Luton players and fans were baying for a red card. The next attack the Luton player just slipped easily by Casemiro who couldn’t even attempt a tackle for fear of a red. Proper refereeing of early yellow cards changes games

and I of course knew damn well that is what you meant . was just giving your assigai a bit of a tug .

The sadly departed Bernard and myself had several discussions on that matter ; both laying claim to the labeling of Arsenal being a team of " skilful midgets "

Said this before about ten years back .....remember reading a comment by an opposition player who said it was so intimidating standing in the tunnel waiting to run out versus the Arsenal .

Looking across at sternly focused Lehmann , Lutzny , Adams , Campbell , Vieira , Petit , Edu , Pires , Bergkamp , Henry you can understand why .

Ahley Cole the only midget .

Think Arsene moving away from that formula led in part to his downfall

very perceptive

I hope it’s a different Tobey from the one I saw vs Liverpool in the first half.

Like many I think, I'm getting increasingly pissed off about the 8:00 kick-off time for Saturday's game. Really not sure who it suits. Plenty of things we all like doing on a Saturday night, but football isn't one of them. Football is just not a Saturday night event. Rail travel is pretty patchy in this country at the best of times but the availability of decent direct trains falls off a cliff late on a Saturday.

Not often I feel sorry for the barcodes but most of them won't get home until breakfast time Sunday. Couldn't really blame them for not bothering.

Shape of things to come......