Upon waking on Saturday morning, and after a tough week at work, I did what all sensible, mature 50-something male adults do at that time and reached for my computer and started to feverishly tap tap tap away at the controls (or ‘keyboard’) to bring up the app for my favourite fantasy.
I’ve been playing football Fantasy Premier League for about ten years and started doing so in a half-arsed bid to ‘broaden my knowledge’ of the players of other teams. I was invited into a small league of gentlemen, some of whom I actually knew, most I didn’t. Over the years my teams have ‘graced’ around 40 online leagues, most of them featuring teams managed remotely by people I’ve never previously heard of, let alone met. As someone who rarely gambles, fantasy football is as good an alternative way to follow the Premier League as I can imagine and has provided an added dimension to my enjoyment of the game which invariably lasts from the first lunchtime kick-off on a Saturday through to the last fixture of the Game Week (or ‘weekend’ as it used to be called).
I mention all this by way of giving any stray reader the heads up on the parlous state of my own football knowledge. In all this time, I have only ever won two leagues. Just twice have I ended the season top of the league – one was a group of five participants, another a small group of 20. The very first thing you learn about fantasy football is how little you have learnt about football despite supposedly following the game for almost five decades.
I’m currently at a season-high 13th place in The Tollington league of 50, a full 120 points behind the leader, a certain James Lowe. The Tollington is the rammed pre-match Islington pub of choice for around 6,000 of us most matches, and located a short walk to the ground. Despite this, I’ve never actually met James, who, over the course of the season so far, has established an all but unassailable lead over my team equivalent to around 5% of the points so far. For a game of small margins, it’s a huge lead.
Unfortunately I can not even claim James has been lucky because, as with the real thing, we all know everything magically, and a tad randomly, evens out perfectly over the course of the season. James also, clearly, knows more about football than me.
There is a second reason I mention this by way of the post-Watford write-up.
As part of my frenetic online fumbling around first thing Saturday, I moved young Hector Bellerin into my fantasy football side. Given the ropey nature of our post-Xmas form, this was something of a gamble but one shared by 25% of other players of the fantasy game.
With even greater prescience, I added the even younger and less experienced Alex Iwobi – someone selected by no more than 0.3% of the entire Fantasy PL rank and file. Bellerin’s form this season has led to him being one point behind the highest ranked defender on FPL. It’s a remarkable achievement for the player who is someone I’ve followed closely since his move to the club in the same swap deal for Cesc Fabregas, when Barcelona paid the club around £30+ million in cash. Plus Hector.
Another dumb deal by our hopelessly out of touch manager there.
And of course, both Hector and Alex played splendidly against Watford, despite my frankly inspired selection threatening to put the hoodoo on both of them.
Bellerin was the last Arsenal player I was lucky enough to meet before I stopped working for the club and it was the morning after his phenomenal assist for Ozil in the dying seconds of the Bayern Munich clash last October, that he briefly entered my world. It was known he was in the stadium for filming duties but I had no idea he was heading in my direction until he popped out of the lift in the Directors’ Entrance of the Emirates. At 5’ 10” he is taller than I imagined him to be although to be fair, the closest I’d previously got to the guy was watching him play for the Under 21s on numerous occasions when he was invariably a blur on the landscape, such is his blazing pace when charging down the wing. Faster than Walcott, they say. Faster, even, than Usain Bolt, over 40 metres. But likely twice as modest, as I shook his hand and truthfully told him his assist to Ozil the previous evening, less than 14 hours earlier, had led to my favourite goal of the season so far.
To which his response was “Really?!”
Yes, of course it was Hector, it was a stunning effort.
So I could be forgiven for selecting Bellerin on Saturday morning for my Fantasy side but Iwobi was a far greater gamble. That he would even play was reason enough for sensible people to avoid picking him but play he did, score he did, and establish himself as one of the break-out talents of the season, that he also surely did.
It seems to have become a ‘thing’ this season that unless a team scores first, winning a game is said to have become something of a mountain to climb. Teams – at least those playing Arsenal – seem to go one up then shut up shop. We can batter them for the rest of the game but invariably the opposition goalie will have his game of his season (or career) and overcoming an early deficit, especially with the Emirates crowd reduced to their now traditional near-silence, seems to be the hardest thing in the world. So Iwobi’s remarkable cross to pick out a marked Sanchez in the fourth minute was just what was needed to set the tone of a match that went on to become something of a master-class of midfield domination, good defending and effective, exciting cutting edge attack.
That this was Sanchez’s first Emirates goal since his October brace against Man U is an unwelcome stat likely to crop up in any subsequent analysis of the season but yesterday, Alex to Alexis in the 4th minute was enough to set the place alight.
The seventh minute saw a moving tribute to our former number 7, David Rocastle and the presence of his family in the Arsenal Directors’ Box was poignant. In some ways, the tribute represents the Emirates at its best. It has been said that when Rocky first played for Arsenal he couldn’t see the goal from the half-way line. Contact lenses transformed his game and he went on to become one of Arsenal’s most favoured and fondly remembered sons. To this day on his frequent stadium tours, Charlie George speaks gently of the guy whose shirt is now stored in the time capsule buried beneath the Emirates.
On 38, Alexis to Alex pretty much sealed Watford’s fate on a day they hardly threatened to make a game of it. So two full league games, two goals for Iwobi. His first at the Emirates, an outstanding performance in Barcelona and a debut for Nigeria earlier in the week. There is so much to be admired in the 19 year old’s game and his development over the 13 years spent at the club. My only regret is he has not qualified to play for England. Perhaps he preferred to play for Nigeria but one can’t help but wonder if the FA have missed a big, big trick here.
The manner of Bellerin’s deflected goal in the 48th will be one for Heurelho Gomes, the Watford goalie to forget. Much like his comment earlier this month that “Small Arsenal won’t win the PL title”. Going on to concede four goals against such a small side must surely represent the low point of his season. Maybe his mind was on the FA Cup semi-final the Watford fans delightedly reminded the home fans of.
Our own fans gently pointed out we’d actually won the thing, once or twice.
The welcome appearance of Joel Campbell and his even more welcome assist to the much Twitter-maligned Walcott at the death, was pretty much the perfect end to a perfect afternoon for the Gunners.
For me, Joel is up there with Iwobi, Bellerin, Monreal, Coquelin and Elneny as THE break out players of the last 18 months or so. All players few had previously heard of, all likely mainstays of the first team for the foreseeable future, all players sourced, nurtured and selected by a manager routinely disrespected by sections of the club’s own supporters but rightly still revered all around the football world.
And what of the context of the win itself? Spurs went on to drop two points on Saturday evening but much will depend on Southampton’s visit to Leicester later today before the true measure of yesterday’s win can be made. To say we can only win with the pressure off is errant nonsense as we are clearly still in with a shout for first place.
That it is only a shout and not a fully-fledged expectation is the only regret of another injury-ravaged season. That the season initially promised so much – especially on the back of an outstanding 2015 – makes Wenger some sort of victim of his own success but the remarkable consistency of his Arsenal reign in some ways makes it harder for many to again settle for 4th, 3rd or 2nd place in the league.
The nature of the demolition of a previously vibrant Watford side, made to look poor by a resurgent Arsenal squad teeming with talent, suggests we will do better next season, especially given the emergence of those new names mentioned previously.
This season’s unlucky goals ruled out for non-existent off sides, the penalties resolutely not given in our favour, the scenes of carnage in the club’s medical facilities – statistically, all this must, eventually, surely turn in our favour.
At some point, Arsenal will simply run away with the league.
This season, however, I’d settle for a championship decided on goal difference.
You can remind me who you are on Twitter @arsenalandrew.
Positively Arsenal 
Well played Andrew.
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No surprises in Nigeria that iwobi chose them ahead of England. The Nigerian football federation appointed Jay Jay okocha to talk to him. Easy mediation for jay jay of course.
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Thanks Andrew, I really enjoyed your write up and wider perspectives of the game.Cheers!
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At my age, memories of matters sexual seem to be superseded by more pressing matters such as where have I left my glasses?; what’s for dinner? who’s that film star who plays James Bond? But then, out of the blue, Arsenal will score a goal that is positively orgasmic. And I remember. Such was the move that led to Alexis feeding Alex and our second goal. It really was a thing of beauty. It also returned the favour that Alex had supplied to Alexis early doors when our little Chilean ended his goal drought and showed that his 6000 mile mid week journey had taken no more out of him than a 600 yard stroll in the park. He, Oz and Welbz were in great form and promise to keep us chasing (and maybe, overtaking) for the balance of the season.
But for me yesterday, the real revelation was Mo Elneny. He’s looking like a 40 million quid buy at the moment and his passing, mileage covered and astuteness provides a wonderful counterpart to Le Coq’s instincts. No wonder Watford barely managed a real shot in anger, their only effort being well saved by Ooosp.
And Mo’s qualities are being duplicated by young Alex Iwobi. Whew, this kid is a handful and so unlucky not to have added to his tally in the second half with his shot that hit the bar.
The back line looked very sound, one mistake by Kos rescued by Gab and both Nacho and Hector almost faultless. Hector’s goal, a trifle fortunate but well deserved after his recent displays.
All that remained was for the subs to carry on performing and whilst Olly had a few nice touches, he didn’t do all that much and it was Joel’s trickery that laid a tap in for Theo.
Now for the Iron’s. If we can reproduce yesterday’s form, it will not be easy but should get us another 3 points.
Off to “support” the Saints now. Keep the faith.
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Nice one Andrew. Cheers.
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Nice one Andrew,great performance from the boy’s yesterday,this season ain’t over yet..
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Wenger is a very lucky manager, just look at the starting 11 yesterday for example
Ospina – lucky no one else wanted the dwarf
Bellerin – lucky he was not rated by Barcelona
Gabriel – another cheap back up who is only in the side cos lucky for us Per has seized up
Koscielny – another cheap signing that was only made cos no one else scout lique 2
Monreal – lucky for us Gibbs is injury prone or he would never have been in the team
Coquelin – lucky for us Wenger was forced to give the lad a chance due to all our midfielders being injured
Elneny – bought as a back up and like Coquelin, lucky for us others got injured so AW forced to play him
Alexis – lucky for us he was not good enough for Barcelona
Ozil – lucky for us he was not good enough for Real Madrid
Iwobi – lucky for us others got injured so he got his chance
Welbeck – lucky for us he was not good enough for Man Utd.
Lucky Wenger has stumbled upon a team once again, how fucking many times is that now, this old french fool has stumbled upon a good team, lucky lucky lucky senile old fart
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bingobongo @Ndubya5 60m60 minutes ago
@arseblog @gunnerblog Is “stumbled upon” the new “dithering” RE subtle Wenger bashing? #arsecastextra
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Nicely done Andrew. Maybe you’ll do to the other Andrew (Nicoll) what Bellerin did to Debuchy.
To add to GF60’s excellent observations, I would add that Alexis on the right these past two games has been a revelation. He has so many options; cut inside and charge in on goal or feed the overlapping Bellerin, stand-off and thread through balls into the penalty box, or go wide right, charge to the byline and cut back a cross into the danger area.
I don’t know if it was by design or it happened organically but it was fantastic watching the way we overloaded the right side at times with Ozil and Alexis forming the main axis with Bellerin and Elneny creating multiple triangles. Watford defenders were at sea not knowing whether to stick or twist.
It was a lot of fun seeing Wenger Ball in full cry yesterday. Only One Arsene Wenger.
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Eddy, that is going on twitter in its entirety
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AC Milan and Italy legend Cesare Maldini has died.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/cesare-maldini-obituary-italy-ac-milan-legend-dies-84-1552886
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feel free PG
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george it seems twitter don’t get sarcasm
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Eduardo @ 12:03 pm
That “stumbling upon” meme:
The uber-bloggers and their mindless groupies on twitter have once again been exposed as fair weather supporters of the club, who, when the chips are down are capable of the most mindless anti-Wenger nonsense that make even le grove and his cast of nitwits look like bloody amateurs. As I tried to explain in my last blog, when Usmanov, who is supposed to be as disgruntled as any stakeholder in the club, expressed his full bloodied support for Wenger nearly 2 weeks ago it made them look like feckless fools. Even worse for them has been the the last two games, as Wenger has found a new set-up which is bringing the best out of the squad (note he didn’t have to spend big to achieve this), in the process demolishing two teams which the uber-bloggers swore would give us problems. That was not supposed to happen for a manager who they declared is senile and unable to motivate his players. Mind you, in my 12 or so years of closely following this club, I have never seen an Arsenal squad give up on Arsene, who, as they themselves use as a stick to beat the manager, always gives his players multiple opportunities to prove themselves.
Anything on Twitter about “stumbling upon” is just another method of defending their indefensible attitude to the greatest manager currently in the game.
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totally agree shotta, and its amazing that so many of our fans have no problem attacking Wenger and being totally disrespectful towards him, yet jump to the defense of an ex manager who not only took a bung, but went on to manage them lot down the road, and of course they too won’t hear a bad word said against jose, one of the most despicable person to ever manage a team, from eye gouging a cancer victim, to sexism and everything in between, no no no, these guys are hero’s but Wenger is fair game, very odd behavior indeed.
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Arsenal’s Charlie Gilmour has helped Scotland U17’s qualify for this summer’s U17 EURO’s in Azerbaijan
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“Very odd behaviour” indeed. Not a good look either. I wouldn’t recommend it. In fact I’d just ignore it.
Instead I would choose to place my focus upon the large volume of support given by the home crowd towards Özil during yesterday’s match. Not his biggest game of the season, it appears as if the silent majority took this opportunity to show their support for the player after he showed his support for his club and manager. And it went on for most of the match, the ‘banter’ down by the away fans when taking corners, the songs about “Arsene Wenger’s man”. I wonder how many gallant blogcastateers will be repeating that observation as some kind of propagating meme as nauseum? The attacks upon the club are repetitive and predictable, so therefore we understand why they have to keep on ignoring the easy observation that the fans have actually been singing the manager’s name again. Support by stealth in case the Groaners start to groan haha!
The songs and the applause for Rocastle lifted the players, without question. As Andrew said it was a privilege to witness such scenes. More please.
Watford had a couple of moments going forward. But they didn’t score with their first shot on target and when the player who scored the goal of his career on their last visit attempted to find a finish this time his shot found itself easily curling towards the corner flag.
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There’s an interestng consideration on the team and tactics these past three months that hasn’t really been discussed on the huge number of arsenal podcasts and blogs out there.
What with all that coverage, all those clicks, you’d have thought that there might have been some discussion on the football?
For me it’s impossible to know and usually I wouldn’t comment on such matters until after allowing some time to pass in order that I might get a better understanding of the decisions by the coaches.
E.g.: you or I might have thought Akpom was ready for the first team but the coaches saw that Iwobi who plays perhaps a little deeper and less as a no.9, at the moment, has an easier path into the first team. My speculative guess is that no.9’s and CBs are these days seen as needing the greater experience and physical maturity, unless you find a freak like Anelka. Or a freak like Iwobi who can play in midfield haha!
But back to my meandering thoughts: ignoring the tilt here and there (hehe), the opposing players allowed to handball on the goal line etc. possibly having a slightly important if not unignorable impact on results, I thought one valid consideration of what AFC had been up to in Jan/Feb was the persistence of Walcott left and Campbell right. Might not have made any difference if they’d played on opposite flanks but I thought that yesterday both players looked far happier as they were, that is my own instinct. Yet JC has most often played right, in Greece, in France etc. so I don’t know, but it is interestng to me to think of such things, And it still surprises me that there is so much coverage or information yet so little plunditry on the actual football.
Come on Southanpton. Three dodgy goals for the visiting Saints would be lurvly jubbly.
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What a review. Fantastic.
I’ve never played FM. Too frightened to get hooked on some electronic game and then never leave the house again. But your summary gave me some idea of what it’s all about – banishing my thoughts that maybe FM is exclusively played by footy thugs and transfer walla’s, which just goes to show how little I know about ‘most things’.
I’d no idea Gomes had said the things he did. Has anyone told him he’s disrespectful, in the way it’s disrespectful for an Arsenal player to run with the ball or do a trick?
AA, I urge you to write whatever you’re feeling, fully, when you do a piece, as you’ve done here. I refuse to read the newspapers nowadays, unless someone here links to summat. Why should I read crap/untruths having already heard it in the commentary?
Good play. Thanks.
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Great review AA and follow-up comments. The write-ups this weekend is complementing the beautiful football of yesterday well.
Seeing young players like Bellerín, Iwobi, Coquelin turn like the proverbial caterpillars into butterflies right before our eyes is what makes supporting the Arsenal memorable. This is the success stories that should be celebrated, along with those sourced and came to play their best football under Arsène’s guidance.
I can’t help but feel proud of this Arsenal squad.
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I’d like to say thanks to Shotta and Kelly (Alabama Gooner) for supportive comments on the preview.
So, I went to this place in Hoxton last night. Remember, I was off to a nephew’s birthday gathering, having been loved to tears by family and friends over the previous week.
I was told to get there at 7:45pm. I knew the traffic would be sticky, but still left home later than I should’ve. Needless to say, the Sunday drivers were already out, albeit, Saturday evening. I done my best to intimidate the crawlers with my best telepathy.
“If you wanna do 20mph on a 30moh road – in the outside lane, why don’t you effing WALK?” It didn’t work but I got to the venue on time. I marched in, already sweating.
Everybody stared at me and started clapping. They’d stitched me up with love yet again. This do was for me, with more friends, (some coming for seconds it seemed).
A whole family of friends came up from deepest Kent, which was no mean feat seeing one kid’s at uni in Herts and the other is in 6th form (what exactly is that? It was class 1 to 4 in my days), and he’s always occupied – but not by doing what I’d have been up to at his age. It hadn’t occurred to me I could be surprised again and again.
I sat down and spent the first hour gently weeping. I felt embarrassed. I wasn’t putting it on. I’m a man FFS! Everyone tucked into delishous food but every time I went to take a mouthful I found myself involuntarily shaking my head. “Is this really happening”?
Yet another bespoke cake had been commissioned for me. This is nuts! The things they said about me during the speeches. Oh my!
The actual birthday boy was DJing – from a laptop owned by my niece. Playing all the right music. It was a superb night where everyone had clearly chosen to make me understand – I’m loved. On reflexion It seems I didn’t fully know.
I’d spent the morning astonished by beautiful comments following that magnificent preview, and then, watched the footy. The Arsenal.
What a game. What A Game. (Who was that commentator on Setanta? Absolutely horrible, negative, disparaging – Hateful). I can’t wait to watch it again on the ArsPlayer.
(Ref Taylor still done his tilting best. He ain’t getting my love).
Right, I’ll say no more about “my stuff”.
I appreciate the comments and thoughts you’ve put my way. Man, I’m blessed.
PS Some 2 year old made off with my balloons. You know, those one’s that float on a string that’s anchored on a plastic disc at floor level.
I’ll serve you a guilt trip once you’re old enough to understand, (and I remember your name).
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Raf @TheFalseNein 44m44 minutes ago
Most penalties for and least against, most games won by 1 goal. May deserve it but officials really bought into Leicester’s ‘fairytale’.
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Wrighty @_Wrighty7 7m7 minutes ago
Wrighty Retweeted Abdi
Ladies and gentlemen, the modern Arsenal ‘fan’. 👏 Wrighty added,
Abdi @AbdirahmanAliUK
Every time Leicester win, I hate Wenger even more.
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Excellent work Andrew,
The performance yesterday was excellent. This is going to frustrate us all if we don’t win the EPL. We are really the best team. Why we went off the boil is THE subject. It can only be the number of injuries to first-choice players at the same time.
Given Elneny and Iwobi’s performances I would say that Ramsey, Santi or Jack will not waltz back into this team. The Elneny/Coquelin partnership is superb. Iwobi looks like the player many hoped for, the one who will shoot from distance. I expect he will calibrate his mind with more games and score some belters from the edge of the 18 yard box. If he adds that to his close-quarter control, which I think is reminiscent of Carlos Valderrama, then we really do have a player to cherish….
Onto some moaning. I never did and still cannot see what others saw in Wanyama….
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A good weekend then Rantetta……
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Georgaki-pyrovolitis even a blind man can see what it is about Wanyama, he is big, he is black, he is a shithouse, and to the uneducated mind, that equates to being in fact an outstanding DM, jeez I would have thought you would have known that.
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I do, that is my point….
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Arsenal Ladies are into the Women’s FA Cup semi finals after beating Notts County Ladies 4-3 on penalties when the game finished 2-2 AET
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LCFC could secure a top 4 finish next weekend
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Andy May @andymay 2h2 hours ago
Koeman on @LCFC winning title – “I hope they do and they deserve to and if they continue to have lucky decisions from the referee they will”
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Scenes in the cricket. Blimey.
Heart goes out to Stokes who bowled that last over.
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Superbly written, fascinating content and I agree 100% with all of it.
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don’t forget guys that the FA Youth Cup semi final second leg – Arsenal v Man City – is live on Arsenal Player, and also live on ITV 4, tomorrow, kick off 7.45. Arsenal trail 2-1 from the first leg.
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Good, some monday night football worth watching!
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‘Mr Arsenal’ David Dein visits Jack Wilshre’s former Hitchin school to discuss winning and Wenger
11:56 02 April 2016 Layth Yousif
The former vice-chairman of football giants Arsenal FC and one of the chief architects of the formation of the Premier League has praised the pupils of a Hitchin school.
David Dein talked to Year 7 at The Priory School to share his insights on leadership, motivation and lessons he learned at the top of the footballing world.
Mr Dein attended the former secondary school of current Gunners star Jack Wilshere on behalf of Speakers for Schools – a charity providing state schools with talks from a range of leading professionals, public figures and academics free of charge.
He told the students: “This is a wonderful school where teachers want you to do your best. I’ve been very impressed with the response from pupils and teachers.”
Mr Dein appointed Arsene Wenger as manager in 1996 and saw the club win 18 trophies over a 24 year period.
Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein speaks at the Priory SchoolFormer Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein speaks at the Priory School
He shared some of his experiences of his time at Arsenal with pupils in a question and answer session.
Of under-fire Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger he said: “The easiest thing in the world is to sack somebody – the trick is to get someone better.
“Every full season Arsene has been at the club he has got them into the Champions League. The next man they appoint will not be able to do that.
“Every successful person I’ve met has worked hard, and had the courage and vision to get them to where they wanted to get to.”
Teacher Jo Churchman – who knew Mr Dein when she played for the Arsenal Ladies team between 1990 and 1995 – added: “I am so happy David came to the Priory.
“He not only gave a great speech to our pupils who really responded to it – but he made my day. It was great to see him again – I can’t stop smiling!”
Head Geraint Edwards said: “It was a real coup to have David deliver an inspiring talk which engaged our pupils.”
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To me, Iwobi is a hybrid of the Ox and Ramsey. Like the Ox, he has speed and can dribble, but can pick out a deft pass and create like Ramsey. He’s a tough Coutinho, if that makes any sense. And I know it’s early days, but I can see him developing into a monster.
We’re going to be scary good next season. I’m talking early naughts Arsenal good. We’ll dominate teams and concede very few goals, mark my words. Just look how much depth we have in every position. Jack can come in for Ozil, Elneny can play for Santi, Iwobi can play for Ramsey, Campbell can play for Alexis, etc., etc. I’m very excited for next season.
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Thanks for all the kind comments; a pleasure to have the great good fortune to be writing after one of the best wins of the season. (Apologies for the length of the piece, by the way.)
Which is exactly why Andrew (Nicol’s) position is safe, Shotta; the quality and reliability of all his post-match articles this season are to be marvelled at as writing following a disappointment is incalculably tougher than after a fine performance. I don’t even want to think about football in those circumstances, let alone (attempt to) write sensible balanced commentary.
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AA@9:29pm – Dat is true. How A5 found the will and maturity to knock out a balanced match report after some of the recent disappointments is one of the major achievements of this blog. The mark of a man is his bravery in tough times…..and all that.
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Stan Collymore @StanCollymore 5h5 hours ago
2 new managers in Prem next season.
One had Nandrolone twice in his system.
Other banned for knowing match fixing went on.
“Winners”.
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Arsenal Under-18s starting XI: Keto, Johnson, Bielik, Bola, Robinson, Bennacer, Reine-Adelaide, Nelson, Hinds, Willock, Mavididi
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Arsenal Under-18s substitutes: Virginia, Sheaf, McGuane, Da Graca, Malen
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A very good headline, AA. How many of the “transfer targets”, can match these essentials?
As for Collymore, http://www.theguardian.com › Soccer › Pep Guardiola. Pep was cleared of both charges in 2009. Collymore is an idiot!
As for Jack Wilshere, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, to be set up by some free-lance scribbler for the Morgan forner pig stye!
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Willock!
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Arsenal ahead on the night, level 2-2 overall
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city score, keeper very unlucky after making a great save to stop the first shot, but it fell kindly for another city player – 2-3
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poor defending by Robinson and city score again, AFC need at least two goals now.
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an uninspiring performance so far from the U18’s, in front of Wenger, Bould and Law, not many of them have did their first team prospects any major favors. Reine-Adelaide, Hinds and Mavadidi not been anywhere near their best yet. Robinson having a poor game at both ends of the pitch. Bielik looks good, willock and Nelson have had their moments, Johnson looks good.
Sheaf and Malen might be needed on early second half
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the ref seems to have forgotten his cards, City have tactically fouled on several AFC breaks without a card to be seen
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