JSUT TOO GOOD
I think it is fair to make the assumption that Arsenal are over their woes of finishing runners up last season. With 14 games played so far this term, 33 points accrued, 3 draws and just 1 loss, who would bet against them? Manchester City are overwhelming favourites by a long mile, however, results may not always align with their expectations thus leaving an opening for competing teams like Arsenal and Liverpool to capitalise on the small margins. It will take consistency and moments of magic as witnessed in the game against Wolves on Saturday for Arsenal to reach the next level.
Mikel Arteta savoured one of the best Arsenal performances this season as the gunners ran rings around the visiting wonderers. In-form star, Bukayo Saka put the home side ahead with a cleverly worked goal in the 6th minute before team captain Odegaard finished off a brilliantly worked team goal not too dissimilar from Saka’s (tiki-taka, comes to mind) sending the Arsenal fateful into a state of joyous pandemonium. Wolves to their credit did have opportunities and got rewarded for their effort in the 86th minute.
If Arsenal are to mount a serious challenge for the title, these are the matches that they will need to win. We are all aware by now that City can switch it on at any given moment and go on a 5 to 10 game winning streak. Therefore, Arteta, will need to ensure that the complacency displayed towards the back end of last season has been fully addressed and eradicated. The team are defensively robust and with Declan Rice in the middle of the park, the forward players have that reassurance to express their attacking prowess.
The defending champions meanwhile, had a tougher time against Arsenal’s North London rivals Tottenham in another thrilling encounter for the fans, supporters and spectating neutrals. The match was unsurprisingly open and end to end. City started the game with attacking intent and will rue the early opportunities squandered in front of goal. Spurs on the other hand, have a severely weakened squad and judging by the pairing of Emerson Royal and Ben Davies as their respective centre-backs, that pretty much epitomises their current predicament.
Spurs welcomed back Bissouma and Udogie much to the delight of Ange Postecoglou. However, it was their ever-reliable captain, Son who found the net twice in succession. Firstly, putting Tottenham ahead with a neat finish in the 6th minute before scoring an own goal in the 9th minute. Manchester City dominated the first half and should have had added much more to their tally until Foden finally did just that in the 31st minute. Spurs found their rhythm in the second half and put up a challenge which culminated in Lo Celso’s equalizer.
Spurs did have moments to go ahead but fortune did not favour them. The game was up for grabs, and City thought they had sealed victory when Grealish slotted in from close range in the 81st minute. But such is the spirit of this Spurs side, and the Ange ball philosophy which they expressed in the first few games before everything came crashing down against Chelsea. That spirit was and kicking once more at the Etihad. Kulusevski yet again was the hero for Tottenham as the Swede leaped to head the ball in the back of the net in the 90th minute and earn Spurs a hard-fought point. The game ended 3-3. City did have legitimate claims regarding Grealish’s one on one goal scoring opportunity but Pep is no fool and he knows his players spurned chance after chance. Spurs will look to build from this, however, their chances of winning the league this year are now slim to none.
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