Different, more cynical, better …

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Morning all.

There’s barely any time to course of the weekend’s soccer earlier than we face our subsequent sport. Luton at residence on Wednesday night time is the main target now, though the mud has barely settled on the draw with Man Metropolis on Sunday.

I discovered the scenes on the finish of the sport fairly attention-grabbing, together with the feedback from Bernardo Silva who spoke to Sky afterwards. He stated of Arsenal:

It is a completely different crew as a result of they’re extra skilled. High facet. Younger gamers with another yr expertise, and at this time they felt what it was prefer to play right here final season and at this time I believe they have been a lot better.

Man Metropolis have had it straightforward too typically in opposition to Arsenal, however this season is completely different. We beat them within the Group Protect (on penalties), beat them at residence within the Premier League, and stopped them scoring on the Etihad which few groups ever do. I believe you may see in a few of these post-game interactions that it has dawned on a number of Man Metropolis gamers that this can be a completely different Arsenal, as Bernardo Silva stated. You don’t win trophies for mutual respect, however it does display the notion of Arsenal is altering/has modified, and that may have an effect on the dynamics in these face to face video games, and past.

Then once more, I discovered it very humorous that Manuel Akajni complained about our ‘rotational fouling’ (not an April Idiot gag), saying:

Once we obtained by generally they stopped us with the fouls. If there’s no motion to it from the referee, it’s onerous. There have been additionally some selections in opposition to them that I didn’t perceive why he gave a foul. There are some guidelines and I believe there are clear yellow playing cards the place it needs to be.

Howdy Mr Pot, it’s me, Mr Kettle. Tactical fouling, rotational fouling, no matter you wish to name it, has been a part of the Metropolis playbook ever since Pep Guardiola took over. Of their Amazon documentary, there’s actually a clip of Mikel Arteta – then an assistant there – telling gamers to make fouls if there’s an opportunity of the opposition successful possession and exploiting house.

To be honest, I believe there have been moments the place if I’d been a Man Metropolis fan on Sunday, Anthony Taylor’s reluctance to problem yellow playing cards would have pissed off me, however it’s nonetheless a bit wealthy for a Metropolis participant to complain about one thing they’re taught to do themselves. Particularly as a result of they wouldn’t hesitate to do precisely the identical factor in these moments. In any other case, on the finish of the sport, they’d have Pep’s scorching breath of their ear at quarters so, so, so shut it might be much more uncomfortable than the very fact it was taking part in out on reside TV with an keen Sky cameraman simply inches away. I’d take ten yellow playing cards to keep away from that.

Anyway, Mikel Arteta will assess his squad at this time and tomorrow, and determine on how greatest to choose a crew to beat Luton whereas doubtlessly giving a few gamers a relaxation. With all due respect to tomorrow’s opposition, one we can not take frivolously as our first sport in opposition to them this season confirmed, there may be extra chance of efficient rotation in opposition to them than among the fixtures that comply with this one. The supervisor meets the press this morning, and we’ll have to attend and see how a lot he is likely to be prepared to do this, or speak about it within the build-up. My guess is a few, and never very a lot, respectively.

It’s a sport we’ll preview over on Patreon later this afternoon. And as we now have executed for the final couple of years, we’re going to offer a bit again in April by donating 100% of our Patreon income to UNICEF to assist youngsters everywhere in the world affected by warfare, famine, battle illness, and issues we’re all fortunate to reside with out.

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The preview pod might be accessible late afternoon, and we’ll convey you all of the press convention tales over on Arseblog Information. There’s additionally a bonus Arsenal Women Arsecast available now, trying again on the Conti Cup Ultimate win on Sunday, in addition to the Arsecast Further under when you haven’t had an opportunity to pay attention already.

Proper, that’s it for now. Have Tuesday people.