Arsenal have a bit of an edge

Howdy.

It was fairly attention-grabbing to learn Aaron Ramsdale speaking in regards to the win over Villa on Saturday. From my perspective not less than, the way in which it performed out felt essential – just like the group would profit from a shot within the arm after a tough few weeks. They nonetheless may, however the Arsenal keeper mentioned it was ‘It’s in all probability one of many worst methods we are able to win …’

His reasoning is sound, to be honest:

‘… as a result of we pleasure ourselves on defending and retaining clear sheets from quantity 9 to #1 and the workers.

‘There will probably be some truths spoken within the week about how we are able to enhance and what we have to do higher within the coming weeks as a result of totally different video games, if we don’t present that stage of efficiency within the second half, a 2-1 or 2-0 head-start for the opposition group and there will probably be no method again.’

It’s laborious to argue with that, and whereas he acknowledged the good feeling within the dressing room, a part of what I like about this group is the popularity that prime requirements are crucial for achievement. I’ve written usually this season in regards to the one recreation at a time mantra, which is designed to maintain folks’s ft on the bottom, but additionally to stay centered on the short-term whereas the long-term prize begins to come back nearer and nearer.

Arsenal may be happy with the second half efficiency, they will take all of the positives – and three factors – from the previous few minutes, however the studying from the Villa recreation is within the first half. The rationale we’ve seen phrases like extraordinary and memorable used to explain this win is as a result of it’s uncommon. Very uncommon. When is the final time you noticed a former goalkeeper rating and personal aim together with his head after which simply moments later go up for a nook/walkabout [delete to your preference] to permit a ahead to steam by way of unopposed and rating? Precisely.

Which isn’t me attempting to piss on anybody’s chips right here, I loved as a lot as the following particular person, however I can assure you Mikel Arteta’s video evaluation session this week received’t focus as a lot on the late, late comedy as it’ll on the objectives we conceded within the first half. The second specifically could have infuriated him as a result of whereas it was a properly labored transfer from Villa, it was all too simple. No one received their duels, and our supervisor will get upset when that occurs.

His response on the Bench Cam video tells you lots:

I do assume this was a win we actually wanted, and I’m positive there will probably be positives taken from it by the gamers, however as we put together for Leicester on Saturday, making certain we don’t discover ourselves firefighting as a result of we’ve been a bit sloppy and a bit careless will probably be excessive on the agenda.

In the meantime, we had a great query on the Arsecast Extra in regards to the group having a little bit of an edge as of late, and I feel it’s a extremely attention-grabbing factor to think about. Yesterday, I discussed Bukayo Saka reacting to Coutinho’s unhealthy problem, and the truth that Arsenal gamers have been there to again him up. That was good to see, as a result of it tells you one thing in regards to the togetherness of the group. You don’t should go too far again into our previous to see how totally different it’s from earlier groups who hardly ever stood up for one another in that method.

We all know the supervisor is a presence on the touchline, and it drives some folks mad. We all know that our reactions to sure incidents have caused FA costs. We all know that after we do something in any respect, the Celebration Police are out in drive, tut-tutting at folks simply having fun with themselves.

It looks like there’s a higher highlight on us, as a result of the way in which Arteta behaves is not any totally different than Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola (who was booked on the weekend for complaining a couple of penalty not given for an Erling Haaland dive), or numerous different managers. So why is he given higher consideration?

A part of it’s as a result of no one anticipated this Arsenal this season, so there’s a little bit of ‘Who’re these chubby little rascals? We have to put them of their place.’ On high of that, I feel Klopp and Guardiola and different managers get away with extra as a result of they’re thought of mature. They’ve been there and finished that, and their expertise informs their reactions. Arteta is the youngest supervisor within the league, and he – within the minds of a few of these folks – must earn his stripes earlier than he can rise up to antics. It’s nonsense, in fact, however a notion of the group and the supervisor as immature due to how younger we’re generally is why it’s simple to have a go.

However the group and the gamers don’t take their cues from the media, they take them from the supervisor. The supervisor who, in a Sunday Instances article, was described as a ‘steely little fucker’ by a former colleague within the recreation. That transmits to them from his teaching, his preparation, his team-talks, his in-game huddles, and his post-game opinions. You possibly can’t set excessive requirements and not using a measure of inside self-discipline, but additionally a need to win that may present itself in behaviour that others can typically take exception to.

Had been the Invincibles sensible? Sure. Had been they pretty boys on a regular basis on the pitch? Hahahaha, no. That they had unbelievable high quality however a streak of bastardry that was key to them profitable video games and choosing up factors on the times when it didn’t absolutely click on for them. And within the mists of time, I feel we are able to lose sight of the actual fact there have been greater than few days like that.

Only for the report: I’m not saying this group is nearly as good because the Invincibles, merely declaring that and not using a little bit of a hardness, it’s very tough to achieve success. I feel Arteta has cultivated a few of that on this group. We’re greater, we’re stronger, we don’t get pushed round as a lot, and it’s a part of why this season has gone in addition to it has.

We nonetheless haven’t discovered what we’re searching for [the title], however we do have a little bit of an edge.

Sorry. Not sorry. Until tomorrow.