Arsenal's Response Against Wigan After Brentford Slip
Before discussing Mikel Arteta’s recent decision not to sign a shirt for the young fan, let’s review Arsenal’s strong performance in their FA Cup clash against Wigan. Eberechi Eze was the standout player in the 5th round match, helping Arsenal bounce back after their frustrating 1-1 draw against Brentford. That draw saw Arsenal struggle with Brentford’s physicality, a challenge that would have overwhelmed them in previous seasons. However, this time the Gunners showed resilience and determination. Some may view the draw as a point earned but Arsenal needed a response in the FA Cup.
The Gunners delivered exactly what was needed, blitzing Wigan in the first half, with the game effectively decided by the 30-minute mark. Eze, who was substituted at halftime against Brentford, came out with something to prove. His performance against Wigan was a showcase of his talent, and while it’s easy to downplay it due to the opponent, his growth was evident. His first no-look pass to Madueke was a beautiful piece of skill, followed by a sublime assist to Martinelli. Beyond the assists, Eze's ability to control the tempo and track back defensively stood out. His growing awareness of space and ability to close down opponents highlights the significant progress he’s made under Mikel Arteta's coaching. Shoutouts also go to Madueke, who scored back-to-back goals for the first time this season. This is a positive sign for the final stretch of the season. Saka, returning from injury and playing centrally with Madueke flanking him, looked promising. Let’s not forget Norgard, who played a crucial role for Eze, providing clean passes into attacking areas, including the assist for Jesus’ goal. Even the own goal, as Saka’s cut-back was mistakenly steered into the net, contributed to a solid team performance. Arsenal cruised to a 4-0 victory, securing a crucial win. The Gunners now face Wolves at Molineux, with momentum on their side.
Arsenal vs Wolves: Crucial Points Dropped Again
After a disappointing draw at Brentford, Arsenal traveled to Wolves for what was a must-win Premier League match at Molineux. The Gunners got off to a strong start in their last game, with Saka opening the scoring inside five minutes. Rice whipped in a perfect cross, and Saka’s header deflected through Sarr’s legs, giving Arsenal the early advantage. At this point, it seemed Arsenal would kick on, knowing the importance of the match. A win would extend their lead at the top of the #EPL to seven points, but a loss would see the gap reduced to just one point, especially after Manchester City’s win over Newcastle. Though Arsenal dominated possession, they lacked the cutting edge to seal a second goal. Eventually, in the second half, Gabriel’s pass through to Hincapie allowed him to chip Sarr, doubling Arsenal’s lead. VAR initially caused a delay, but the goal stood, much to the relief of the team. With the game looking secure, a defensive mistake allowed Bueno to curl one past Raya, pulling Wolves back into the game at 2-1. Arsenal’s defensive fragility was exposed once more.
The game took another twist when a misjudged clearance between Gabriel and Raya allowed Edozie to finish the loose ball for a 2-2 draw. It was a bitter disappointment, and Arsenal will be left wondering if this will be the result they look back on come May much like their 0-2 loss to Aston Villa two seasons ago. Arsenal's form over the last seven matches two wins, four draws, and one loss shows a dip in consistency. If they want to be Premier League champions, they must improve. Manchester City is closing in, and Arsenal cannot afford to drop more points.
From 7 points clear to potentially 9 points clear to now just 2 points clear, all in a matter of just over a week, how things change quickly in football. Its crazy, the thing is, games are running out, leaving either us or city with little or no room for error to be crowned #EPL champions come may. ManCity has to be perfect (I doubt if this iteration of Pep's City can) and Arsenal has to be 99% near perfect to guarantee the stave off (I'm hoping this Iteration Of Mikel's gunners can). Either way, still in our hands.
Squeaky Bum Time: The North London Derby
Looking ahead, Arsenal faces their biggest challenge yet: the North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs, fresh off parting ways with manager Thomas Frank after a home loss to Newcastle, sit in 16th place in the Premier League. Despite their struggles, Tottenham will always provide a tough test in a derby. However, after the convincing 3-0 victory at the Emirates earlier this season, Arsenal will be confident of another win. Mikel Arteta has a vital role to play here. He needs to fire up his players, especially in light of the media’s criticism about Arsenal’s supposed "bottle jobs." The players need to channel this negativity into motivation. With a slender lead at the top, Arsenal’s title destiny is still in their hands, but they must step it up to keep Man City at bay. Arteta knows this
He said: "What I’ve seen is a tremendous reaction again and I’m not surprised at all. When you lose points in the last kick of the game again, in a very unpredictable manner, to concede an equaliser in the manner that we did it, nobody can really understand that.
"But this is football and that’s the beauty of it, and that was a chapter. So we have a long season. Chapter 27 says, okay, we draw against Wolves in this manner. What I’m very interested in is the next one, it’s what we are made of. Ok, what do we do about this and how do we write our own destiny from here and going forward, and that’s it. You have to react to that because life moves on, the result has to stay, unfortunate as it was. There is nothing that we can do, what we can do is a lot, it’s what’s going to happen next."
The North London Derby is a massive game. Arteta’s tactics should be simple: stay compact, win first and second balls, dominate key duels, and capitalize on Spurs’ defensive weaknesses especially in the half where they struggle most(or maybe not with Igor Tudor). Arsenal must head into this match with the desire to win, regardless of Spurs’ managerial changes. The title is still within Arsenal's grasp, but only if they rise to the occasion. Let’s see if Arteta can rally his troops and ignite a fierce determination to secure all three points. their lead, ensuring they keep City at arm's length with only 11 games remaining. My team sheet would look like this:
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| #TotVsARS |
If kai is available, he starts in the 10 role for me. Calafiori, Eze and White get the nod in those positions cause of their better attacking threat than their other, I need a team that's switched on when its time to attack. I know Calafiori has been shaky somewhat in his last few but the guy is just back from injury, I would also like to see Norgaard in the middle with Rice, his forward passes are needed to platform a quick transition from the back to the attack. Don't get me wrong, Zubi has been a very good anchor in the middle, plus his goals but a little tweak here and there could refocus the teams dynamism. That's it from us here at #Anaijagunner hq, hopefully the lads get the 3 points at Spurs, NLD stays red, improve our away form record, and get back our title charge, enjoy the game wherever you are...#COYG
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