Last week I blogged about how winners look forward after a defeat, and how losers dwell in the past. The way we bounced back from the disappointing result in Portugal shows that we are ready for this title race.

Our detractors will keep writing us off, labelling our World Class players as average, and so on. We just need to keep doing our thing and focusing on the next game.

One sign of world class player is that even when they are having a quiet game, they still have an influence. Bukayo Saka did against Newcastle what Mohamed Salah has been doing for Liverpool over the years.

I have lost count how often Salah has had a very quiet game, only for him to pop up with a goal or an assist. It is the same with Kevin de Bruyne. With Sergio Aguero. With Thierry Henry. Still being able to affect the game in a positive way when you’re not having your best game.

Saka did have a quiet game against Newcastle. They double and trebeled up on him, but he still found space to cut in side and roll it into the bottom corner.

Mo Salah aside, I do not think there is a better left winger in the world than Saka. Regardless of what Rio Ferdinand says, our Star Boy is world class.

16 goals has made this season his best goal scoring one to date – and we still have at least 14 games left. You would be very disappointed if Saka did not reach 20. With 7 assists, he is also the 6th best creator in the Premier League. He is a constant threat.

Another one growing into his skin as the season goes on is Kai Havertz.

His goal against Newcastle takes him up to 7 for the season. The German is back playing with a smile and now seems comfortable amongst his team mates. The depression caused by Chelsea is long gone.

Still only 24, Havertz will have a long and successful career at The Arsenal.

The post match interview with the pair showed just how together the team is.

Kai Havertz & Bukayo Saka’s post-match interview with @footballontnt in full. 🎤 #afc pic.twitter.com/MLoIwuVRPE

— afcstuff (@afcstuff) February 24, 2024

When the interviewer was fishing for Saka to praise himself and show an ego, he had the intelligence to swivel the question and praise his team mates.

We may or may not win the title this season, but most of us have never demanded that we need to be champions.

During those later Wenger years, all we wanted was a team that played for the shirt and competed for the title. 2 points off top and we are doing just that.

We just need to keep looking forward. Keep focusing on the next game. And keep making winning a habit!

UTA

Keenos