Morning all, glad Friday to you.
There’s an early Mikel Arteta press convention forward of our sport in opposition to Nottingham Forest tomorrow night. At this level the video games include such frequency, so shut collectively, it’s arduous to assume what he may be requested this morning that he didn’t extra much less cowl after the win in opposition to Chelsea.
I suppose there’s all the time one thing to speak about, all the time some nuggets to try to uncover. Maybe that unbearable man from Sky Sports activities will probably be there, making an attempt to glean any damage updates from Mikel Arteta by arriving with a group of balloon animals formed like gamers who’re doubts, ostentatiously popping every one that the supervisor confirms absent with a 3 foot lengthy pin.
Sky bloke: *Holds up a Calafiori giraffe* – “Eh? Eh?”
Arteta: ‘He gained’t be accessible.’
*POP*
Arteta: *Does that smile the place you realize there’s part of his mind that’s considering very darkish ideas however the smile is sufficiently smiley to present believable deniability*
Anyway, let’s see what information emerges. I did discover some chat on social media and past about an incident caught on digital camera the place, because the crew have been popping out for the second half, Declan Rice and Albert Stuivenberg gave the impression to be having some tense phrases. There’s such a lust for drama as of late that moments like this may be fully over-indexed. As you may see from immediately’s header picture, the pair shared a superb hug when Rice got here off in the direction of the top of the sport, and finally issues like this occur on a regular basis – it’s simply that this one was caught by Sky’s cameras.
I’ve seen it mentioned about this Arsenal crew that we’re ‘too emotional’, a wierd criticism for me, however one I believe you’d extra simply apply to us a few seasons in the past. After we had that shock title problem, adopted by the season the place we have been pipped to the title by some extent, there was most likely a component of fact to that. The crew was youthful, we have been studying the right way to cope with the strain – inner and exterior – of competing on the prime of the Premier League after so a few years not being part of that.
I don’t assume that’s relevant anymore, and you’ll see a fierce willpower to go the gap this time round. For instance, William Saliba speaking after the Chelsea sport and responding to a query about whether or not or not successful the Carabao Cup can be gasoline for the Premier League race:
“I’m drained to complete the season with out nothing in my pocket. So now now we have 4 competitions to win. My pocket was empty final yr and now we wish to win every thing. Carabao, FA Cup, Champions League, Premier League. In fact it’s not simple to say it however we wish to show it on the pitch and we are going to give every thing to win each title.”
And on whether or not he and Gabriel have been the perfect central-defensive partnership on this planet:
“I believe now we have the perfect partnership on this planet however after all now we have to show it with the titles, as a result of if we are saying we’re the perfect and we win nothing, it means nothing.”
No messing round. So if Declan Rice’s willpower to win that sport, or Albert Stuivenberg’s want to get extra from one in every of our gamers, ends in just a little little bit of an argument within the tunnel, that’s fantastic by me. Perhaps you name it aggressive rigidity, however the perfect groups have it, cope with it, use it, and succeed due to it (or despite it). It’s vital that there’s a deal with the collective, and I believe you may see that it is a good group who’re all pulling in the identical course in pursuit of a typical objective/targets, however just a little row within the tunnel isn’t any huge deal, and positively nothing for anybody to clutch their pearls about.
Consider Lauren having an almighty row with Patrick Vieira on the crew bus again in 2004. A Guardian report on the time mentioned, “Arsenal’s Patrick Vieira and Lauren needed to be separated by team-mates once they squared up to one another on the crew coach after the 1-1 Champions League draw with Rosenborg on Wednesday, in keeping with reviews final night time.”
Squared up is a pleasant approach of placing it. Reportedly they ‘got here to blows’, or Lauren whacked him. 2004 was a fairly profitable yr, if I recall. Assume additionally of Aaron Ramsey allegedly decking Robin van Persie after a sport (in opposition to Man Metropolis, I believe). Not essentially as a result of it sparked success, however as a result of the concept Aaron Ramsey giving Robin van Persie a superb dig is a very nice method to begin your Friday.
We stay in a time the place each tiny factor is amplified, however that is basic storm in a teacup stuff. And as I mentioned, if that want to succeed and win issues means gamers and employees alike really feel as if they’ll push one another, then I believe we’ve acquired a a lot better probability of ending this season with silverware.
Proper, I’ll go away it there for now. For some further studying, Tim’s column seems to be at how we’d get extra out of the assault within the second half of the season, and we’ll have a preview podcast for you on Patreon a bit later immediately.
Have an amazing Friday of us.
