The Arsenal doomsday boys are have been back out in force over the last 36 hours.
First real test of the season and they failed is their byline.
But really? Was Man U away really our first test of the season?
How about Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park? A team we had beaten just once in the previous eight attempts. Was that not a test?
And if Palace was not a test for us, were they a test for Liverpool? Drew 1-1 at Anfield.
then we have Leicester City. Ok, these were not really a test. They look in trouble. Will probably be relegated. And Bournemouth not much better.
Then we have Fulham and Aston Villa. Two sides we should beat. Two sides we did beat. Two sides Liverpool and Manchester City failed to beat respectively.
So they were not tests for us, but both took points off our title rivals. I would rather beat team that are “not a test” than draw with them.
And then we have Manchester United Sunday.
We played brilliantly. Were the better team. Lost 3-1.
Not the first time we have been to Old Trafford, played a poor Man U team, been the better team and lost.
We have actually had a fairly positive record against them under Mikel Arteta – before Sunday it was three wins, one draw and one defeat.
But a bit like last season, we lost a game we should have won.
It is not a disaster that we lost to them, no matter what the doomsday merchants are saying.
They will beat others in the “Big 6” at home this season (they have already beaten Liverpool) and are not as bad as the media made out.
Since that disaster-class against Brentford, Manchester United have won 4 from 4 including victories against Liverpool and ourselves.
Liverpool showed last season that you do not need to beat your “real tests” to challegen for the title.
They won 4 out of 10 Big 6 games – and gained just 3 points more than Chelsea. Liverpool finished 18 points ahead.
In 2021/22, they dropped just 10 points against the “other 14” – and 6 of those were defeats away to West Ham and Leicester who finished 7th and 8th respectively. And they drew against 9th placed Brighton.
They dropped just 2 points out of 66 against teams that finished 10th-20th. An incredible record.
Now I am not saying Arsenal will replicate it, but it just highlights that we mount a title challenge this year by beating the rest, not the best.
It is beating the best that turns you from title challengers to champions – Manchester City gained 5 more points than Liverpool in Big 6 fixtures and lifted the title.
So 6 games in, we have just suffered our first defeat of the season and are top of the league with 15 points.
Last season, we were 10th with 9 points…
So lets ignore the doomsday merchants. They call Arsenal “they” rather than “us” and are probably just excited about getting to watch Marseille play at the Tottenham Stadium tomorrow
Final thought: That Antony is basically the new Nani isn’t he? Annoying little shit that is not as good as he thinks he is. Will have a highlight reel of skills and tricks that lead to nothing.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
Apparently Tony Adams used to say to win the league you should be beating the bottom 10 teams home and away, so far so good!
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Like we say in Nigeria, “we move!” That I think is what we need, and forget about the ex-ManU-dominated punditry ( by the way, aside Wrighty ex-Arsenal players are just not taking the punditry fight to these United fellows). Anyways, in a match we outplayed the hosts and they hide under the pretence that their “own process “ is just starting (laughable, because they mocked Arsenal the last 2 years); we should hold our heads high, dust the shame of defeat, and defeat Everton next. It will be painful if we dont beat Everton on Sunday!
Proud of the boys and their audacity exhibited against United. We move!
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