Arsenal take the short trip across the capital for their Premier League clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this evening; with Mikel Arteta looking for payback having suffered the only defeat in his short reign against the Blues.

Both sides come into this match on the back of disappointing results this past Saturday; the Gunners drew 1-1 with Sheffield United, with Newcastle United scoring in the last minute to run out 1-0 winners against Frank Lampard’s side.

It was always going to be a trying season for Lampard as his arm got forced by their transfer ban over the summer to bring in quite a few young players into the side.

But after just one point from their opening two league games they went on a decent run, winning eight of their following 10 (D1, L1), and things started to look on the ups. Then with fixture congestion after the November inter-break, the inexperience of his young side showed with them struggling to find consistency, losing six of their 11 matches since.

All things considered though, even with their ‘implosion’ thus far this winter months, they’re still in control of their own top-four ambitions, thanks to their strong start to the season.

In comparison the North London side have struggled all season, despite recent “improved performances”. Not because of matches lost per se, only three teams got less defeats than our current six, but largely due to a league high 11 draws from 23 matches.

Since the Spaniards arrival we drew four out of six league matches, including our last three away at Everton (watching from the stands), Bournemouth and Crystal Palace. Only one of our draws ended goalless and we surrendered the lead in seven of the other 10. This is such a frustrating stat because you’d expect us to do a better job seeing games out, especially with seven of those coming against sides outside the traditional top-six.

Another bit of info is that, despite our issues on the road, we haven’t lost an away match since that 2-0 loss at Leicester on November 9th. But once again, the draws are keeping us mired in midtable. If we are to claw our way up the table, we have to find a way to convert draws into wins so our results can start match our performances.

Just looking at our two recent fixtures; the Gunners looked on their way to wins against both Crystal Palace and the Blades after going 1-0 into the break, however, we failed to hold on. It’s true that we were let down by questionable officiating in both outings, but we also didn’t do ourselves any favours by being so off-colour in front of goal. These two results can be seen as wasted opportunities because if we had that four-point swing, we would be going into this game with a chance to close the gap on 4th-placed Chelsea to three points.

Which begs the question; are we really having a crap season that merits the term “relegation form”, or just an unfortunate one?

Team news

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is suspended, with Reiss Nelson and Sead Kolasinac only expected back after our trip to Burnley. Sokratis, who missed our last game due to illness, will be assessed ahead of the game.

Prediction

Chelsea have struggled at home in the league recently, winning only two of their last five at the Bridge. So Arsenal definitely got a chance here if we take the game to them, we have to put away our chances though, because that has been our biggest letdown since Boxing day.

Difficult games to call, especially with history not our side; we haven’t win there since the 5-3 back in October 2011, a game both head-coaches played in. I do fancy our chances though, with both teams to score. COYG!

@LaboGoon

Good morning to one and all.

Normally I like to do the review at the first opportunity, but because I had to watch on a stream, I had to wait until after midnight to watch it again. I like to watch games twice as it possible to be more observant ,when the fear and tension are removed.

So let me be clear, I think we were robbed, but we helped the burglars by leaving the back door open. By that I mean that had we been awarded the deserved penalty on Pepe, we would have won, but we didn’t do enough to score the additional goals that would have made the result safe. It’s possible to be robbed, unlucky and still be guilty of not making the game safe.

As ever, social media went to work and found the scapegoats, and then social media rode into the rescue of said scapegoats. Rather than me looking at the game, a game you will all have seen, I want to have a look at how I think some of the players actually performed within Arteta’s new improved structure and style.

I will start with Mesut, many claiming he had a poor game, the conclusion drawn because he slightly over hit two balls to Martinelli. Well he did slightly over hit one, the other was a good ball that young Gabriel was slow do see. Here are his stats

88% pass accuracy – highest on pitch

29 opp. half passes – most on pitch

18 final third passes – most on pitch

7 ball recoveries

4 chances created – most on pitch

4 duels won

3 crosses (2 acc.)

2 dribbles (2 succ.)

2 tackles 1 long ball (1 acc.)

Not the numbers of a man having a bad game.

Xhaka, he had a very good game, but he spent much of his time deep and to the left, I presume in an attempt to support Saka. He did though have a good game, as did Torreira. For anyone with a short memory, Xhaka was the one that got back on the line to block a shot on his chest and then clear it, he literally got us the point.

Mustafi , the unredeemable one, had an excellent game. he made no mistakes that I could see, was strong in defence and drove forward with the ball at most opportunities. People point to him losing the ball ,early in the game, on the edge of the box, while trying to shepherd it out. I think this view is most unfair, he was fouled when he got between the ball and the attacker. Luiz also had a decent game, but he made a lot more errors than Mustafi.

Saka did well, but this was facilitated by the good work that Xhaka and Luiz did, to cover for him in defence.

Now for Pepe, here is where it gets difficult. He excites, he dribbles and runs with the ball in a way that strikes fear into the opposition, he should have won a penalty and he did give Martinelli a couple of decent chances. When you look at what he did, and divorce that from his price tag, he did ok. Unfortunately his game seems best suited to counter attacks, and Arteta wants possession and control, that may prove an ongoing problem. He is definitely not a flop, some of his work is breathtaking.

This was a game we should have won, a game we deserved to win, but once again, a game we did not win. That is a repeating saga under Arteta and it must be driving him mad. We should perhaps have won every game under his stewardship, but we have won just one in the league. However, the improvement in our game is clear for all to see, and it’s now worth seeing. Eventually results will reflect performances, they always do, we will be fine.

Arsenal host Sheffield United at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon, looking to etch their way closer to the top-six sides on the Premier League table.

Despite improved performances and a progressively playing style under Mikel Arteta, the Gunners still find themselves mired in mid-table; whilst the Blades have maintained their steady start on their return to the top-flight, sitting four points ahead of us.

The Spaniard will be aware that it will take a process to get Arsenal to where he wants them to be, a process that will take more than just “improved performances”, as we now need to convert that into points. And with our ongoing struggles on the road, wins at home, especially against newly-promoted sides, are “non-negotiable”.

A win will give the Gunners a major boost, especially given that we have a chance to leapfrog a few teams on the log – which, of course, hinge upon results elsewhere going in our favour. We can also move within three points of 5th-placed Man United who are away at the juggernaut Liverpool tomorrow.

This is not about having top-four or top-six aspirations. Arteta has been fairly consistent in what he wants from the players as they get used to a new way of life; committed performances, leaving their hearts out there by not only doing what is expected of them, but also do it well. Because he has his beliefs that once we get that right, a positive upturn in results will follow.

He will have to do it without the talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the next three matches, who has scored 14 of our 29 league goals. However, this is also a shot for Nicolas Pépé and Alexandre Lacazette, who showed signs of finding form in recent matches, to step up and give good accounts for themselves.

Sheffield United are very hard to beat though, as they continue to punch above their weight. Chris Wilder’s side are 6th on the table and in their 22 league games have conceded just 21 goals; only Liverpool conceded less. It also doesn’t seem to matter whether they play home or away. In 11 home fixtures they earned 17 pts, with 15 pts coming from their 11 on the road, where they only lost twice (W3, D6).

In the reverse fixture at Bramall Lane back in October the Blades ran out 1-0 winners. When they scored after 30 minutes they were happy to let us have possession and shut up shop, and we hardly had a look in. However, that was during our “respect-era” and under Arteta we look more comfortable with the ball, playing higher up the pitch with a four-men attack. So if Wilder play the same tactics, it will certainly be a fascinating match.

Team news

Gabriel Martinelli is likely to step in for the suspended Aubameyang, with Bukayo Saka expected to fill in at left-back for Sead Kolasinac, who picked up a knock at Selhurst Park.

Lucas Torreira trained normally after initial fears that he may miss this game, however, he will still be assessed ahead of the match, with Matteo Guendouzi waiting in the wings. Hector Bellerìn is also expected to make the bench.

Prediction

It goes without saying that the Gunners are not having a great season, but with Arteta at the helm you always feel we have a shot as we do create goal scoring chances. There are still too many nearly moments in front of goal though, and that is where we need to do better if we are to string together a winning run.

That said, the Blades are a very settled side and just so well-organised. Wilder may target Saka at left-back as our weak link as he will have hopes of not leaving London empty-handed.

Be that is it may, this could be a very edge-of-your-seat, running-out-of-nails-to-bite encounter, with the visitors likely to cause us issues. I do fancy our chances though. COYG!

@LaboGoon

Arsenal make the short trip across the capital to play Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, hoping to move ahead of our hosts on the Premier League table. Conversely, the Eagles aim to move four points clear of us in this London derby.

Good day all. Since the turn of the year the Gunners got back-to-back clean-sheet wins, in two competitions, to give Mikel Arteta a much-needed boost at the start of his reign. That he so quickly brought some coherence to our style of play have helped lift some of the gloom that preceded his arrival.

This is something the Spaniard can be very proud of to have achieved in his short time, but he will also be cognisant that there are still plenty of work to be done  with the Gunners sitting 10th on the league table.

The upcoming league fixtures this month will be of particular importance, with the Eagles, Sheffield United and Chelsea already taken seven of nine points off us. Ergo Mikel and the players will be mindful not to get carried away by the recent upturn in performances and will do well to continue keeping their heads down, with each player knowing what is expected of him.

If we kick on in the coming weeks we could put a bit of pressure on teams ahead of us on the league table. Who knows, comes end of January and the current nine point gap between ourselves and 4th-placed Chelsea look more within reach, it may give the boys a real shot in the arm to go on a good run knowing all is not lost yet. However, we will have to take it one game at a time.

After a promising start to their campaign Roy Hodgson’s side hit a rough patch, winning just one of their last six league games (D4, L1). Still, two games into the second half of the season they are in the top-half of the league table, one point above the Gunners. Had that been offered to Roy back in August, he would’ve accepted it with alacrity.

Last weekend they had a disappointing FA Cup defeat at home to second-tier Derby County, though it’s unlikely Roy will be cut up about it as it now gives him the chance to prioritise the league and try finish as high as possible.

They have a good record against Arsenal in recent times; unbeaten in the last three encounters (W1, D2). In the reverse fixture back in October, they came from two goals down to rescue a point at the Emirates. The last five meetings produced 23 goals, with no clean sheets either side. All that means is that we could be set for a very cagey game at Selhurst Park,

Team news

Hector Bellerìn have returned to training, however, Arteta said it’s unlikely he’ll feature. Otherwise, he is expected to go with the same matchday XI that started on new years game against Manutd.

Prediction

Few weeks ago there would have been apprehension going into this game for the Gunners, however, the improvement since Arteta’s arrival is palpable. It’s just our finishing touch in the final third that let us down at times but if we got that sorted… should be favourites to go home with all three points. COYG!

Labo.

Now then, we won, we definitely won the second half, but the first half had me worrying.

In that first half Leeds were all over us, they were creating chances for fun, had way more possession and frankly looked much the better team. Our midfield looked like it did when Emery had the keys , Ozil saw nothing of the ball Guendouzi was all over the place. Worst of all the passing was poor, Holding in particular, with him Guendouzi and Luiz all playing straight balls which were easily cut out by Leeds players. We were lucky , very lucky, to get to half time without being at least a goal or two behind.

Then came the second half and it was a complete roll reversal. We pushed much higher up the pitch, pressed with more intensity and it was us that were dominant. Now Guendouzi seemed to be doing everything right, He pressed, won balls, drove forward and had a big positive effect on the game. Ozil was given more of the ball and started to open Leeds up with his passing and composure. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t vintage stuff, but they had clearly been given instructions from Arteta and were able to action them.

The goal was a bit of a scruffy affair in the end, but Nelson wont care, it was enough to win the game, as it happens.

Lacazette was given man of the match, and deservedly so, he work tirelessly and held the ball well, bringing others in ,doing everything bar scoring.

I have to say that when Martinelli came on for Nelson, he immediately looked the real deal. What a prospect that boy is.

So we now face Bournemouth in round 4, I think we will win that.

COYG

Good day one and all.

I was talking to my old ally @shotta_gooner and he asked me “Why were you so vocal in your support of Xhaka, when almost everyone else had set against him?”  . That got me thinking and as you can see, writing.

First thing is to try to understand why “almost everyone else had set against him”. It’s not good enough for me to say that I understand football and the majority of fans, pundits and bloggers are eejits, that would just be inflammatory, and you know me, I wouldn’t want to be doing that.

I believe that Xhaka became the lightening rod for the bilge that Emery was serving up week in and week out. Mesut and Torreira were  hardly playing, so they were not blamed, Xhaka was the only established midfielder that always played in a midfield that was totally dysfunctional, it couldn’t keep the ball, support the forwards or protect the defence, and so the easy answer was to blame Xhaka. As we know, simpletons love a simple answer to complicated questions. What confused me the most at this time , was how Guendouzi was being lauded. On twitter I had a discussion with @GeoffArsenal, he ran a poll :-

So there you go, while Guendouzi was scurrying around the pitch, contributing one assist and no goal  in a season and a half, Xhaka was blamed. To me it madness that anyone should think Guendouzi should start before Xhaka, in any system or set up, functional or dysfunctional, but for 92% of fans to think it? Dear oh dear oh dear.

Yesterday someone asked a question about Xhaka on twitter and this reply caught my eye

https://twitter.com/NotSureWhyImBa1/status/1213492622939041793?s=20

There are loads of stats available if you want to check the worth of this tweet.

For years we were told that we needed a bit of steel in midfield, well since the day Granit arrived no player or team has bullied him. When thousands of fans tried to bully him recently, he told them to “F*ck off”, and when the club tried to bully him into making a groveling apology, he refused and chose instead to leave (something that hopefully he now won’t do). The man will not be bullied by  anyone, what more steel do we want?

Whether we think Emery was right to ask the players to elect the captain is irrelevant, he did, and they elected Xhaka. That would mean that they view him as the best leader, trust and respect him. That’s the players, you know, the ones that actually play and matter?

We know for a fact that Bayern Munich were keen to have him as a replacement for Xabi Alonso and Mikel has said that City were also very interested, so “bang average” he is not.

When asked about Xhaka , Pep said he was a great player, Arsene said that he was an intelligent player and Arteta said this:-

“I had a conversation with him and I wanted to understand his feelings,That’s first, and his reasoning why he was thinking it probably wasn’t the right place for him to continue his career.
 
“I gave him my opinion, my perspective, and I told him that I was ready to support him from the club perspective, and I wanted his team-mates to have his back to help him to change his mind. We need him.
 
“I believe that if we’re able to do that, the fans will respond in a positive way. I’ve seen him act every day, how he trains and how he lives his profession, as well as the quality of the player. I think he could be a really important player for the club. From my perspective, I don’t want him to leave. I said no to the club and I said no to him! After, in life, I cannot control what happens.”

That sounds like a nonnegotiable opinion to me, as Mikel might call it.

I have always said that Xhaka is the most important player we have, not the best, that would be Ozil, but like Arteta was himself, the key to how we play when we are playing well. He makes us tick and Ozil can then make us purr. Does he have weaknesses? Yes, he does, every player does, but his strengths massively outweigh his flaws. Just look how well the Swiss team has done with him having the keys, a tiny international team plays good football and punches well above their weight.

Of course you are free to disregard my opinion, and that of Pep, Arsene and Arteta, and choose instead to align with such mega brains as Paul Merson, I understand that, but that would make you……. well…. how to put it? An eejit?

O Captain! My Captain!

Well that was rather good. Beautiful ,fast ,aggressive , organised football in the first half to open up a 2 goal lead, then controlled shape in the 2nd half to maintain the advantage. What a wonderful refreshing change to the way we have laboured for the bulk of the past 18 months.

The result was needed, but not half as much as the performance. That should give the players belief in Arteta and in turn give him the belief in the playes. Players that had been written off in the media and by many of our own fans, specifically Ozil, Xhaka, Torreira and Luiz, were absolutely brilliant.

I said that Mikel would struggle to find a balanced midfield, how wrong could I have been?

Lacazette, much maligned in recent week, although not at his best in front of goal, put in a shift and a half.

Ozil purred like the beautiful player he is, he was back to his best, again,

Torreira was everything we hoped he would be when we signed him and Xhaka will have upset a lot of people because he ran the midfield.

This my positive friends, was a great start to the new decade, the time of Arteta dawns.