Category Archives: Arsenal

Arsenal look to continue 3 decades of dominance over Tottenham

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Morning all.

Earlier in the week I wrote about how I was unexcited for the Champions League, well today it is completely different. I AM BUZZING.

For those that did not understand my Champions League blog, let me quickly explain: I do not see playing in the Champions League as anything special. Yes, I get the financial benefits, but from a match going point of view, it is just another game. About as exciting as a League Cup match.

The North London Derby, meanwhile, is a different kettle of fish. It is the game I look forward to the most.

Growing up in North-East London (Walthamstow), school had a near 40/40 split between Arsenal and Tottenham. The other 20% were glory hunting Liverpool and Manchester United fans, with a few West Ham thrown in. No Chelsea or Man City.

From a young age, growing up in that area made you realise how big the North London Derby was. It was the difference between going into school on a Monday as King of the World or going in sheepishly, ready to have weeks of abuse thrown at you.

I remember a little run in the mid-90s where we did not beat that lot for 3 years – nearly 25% of my life at that time.

Luckily Arsene Wenger arrived in 1996 (I was 11) and we would lose to them just once in the next 12 years…

Today is what football is all about.

From London to Buenos Aires, Milan to Glasgow. No other sport has the rivalries of our great game.

Tottenham will always be our annoying little cousin.

Last season was the first time in 7-years that we had finished above them. For me, it means very little when we won 3 FA Cups in that time whilst they continued to extend their trophyless run (now 15 years I think? Maybe 14. I lost count).

They still pipe up now “oh you finished above us once 7 years” ignore the 21-years previous.

Last season 23 times we have finished above them in the 32 years of the Premier League. In that time we have won 3 league titles, 9 FA Cups, 1 League Cup and 1 ECWC. Spurs have won just 2 League Cups.

It is probably this inferior complex as to why there is a different perception to how both Arsenal and Tottenham have started this season.

“We’ve got our Tottenham back” is heard from those up the poor end of the Seven Sisters Road after 13 points from their opening 5 games. Four wins and a draw from the first five Premier League games represent their best start to a top-flight season for 57 years.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have started slowly. Not the same team as last year. Mikel Arteta tinkering too much. We also have 13 points from our opening 5 games. And a thrashing of PSV in the Champions League.

In recent years, home advantage has been huge in the North London Derby, with almost every game won by the team hosting. Last season we turned that form book around winning home and away, I expect us to do the same today.

With no Harry Kane getting his usual goal from the penalty spot, I just do not see Tottenham hurting us. Their only advantage is they did not play mid-week.

We will be too quick, our movement too mesmerising, our defending too strong and finsihing too clinical.

I am going for 4-nil Arsenal with Spurs being down to 10-men after around 65 minutes.

Buzzing.

Keenos

Arsenal securing their future with new Odegaard deal

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Morning and Happy North London Derby Weekend. Buzzing for it.

Big Arsenal news yesterday was that Martin Odegaard had signed a new 5-year deal with the club. The news did not come as a big surprise.

Following the new deals of Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli, Odegaard’s salary wained below others. Declan Rice and Kai Havertz were also recruited in on a big salary than the club captain.

Odegaard is one of our most important, and best, players. It makes complete sense that he is on similar money as the likes of Saliba, Rice and Saka. The 4 of them really are a World Class quartet.

A lot of praise has to go to Odegaard.

After making his breakthrough in Norway as a schoolboy, Odegaard joined Real Madrid at just 16-years-old.

He struggled for game time at the club and was sent out on 4-loan times, including once to Arsenal. He could have quite easily floated into obscurity like we have seen with many Chelsea youngsters in the past – loan deal after loan deal until they are 25 and end up joining a club in League One.

It would have been easy for him to drop his head and start feeling sorry for himself. Or suffer from a lack of motivation having been made a millionaire before he turned 20. So many other “wonderkids” end up with too much too soon and fail to fulfill their potential.

After his loan spell at Arsenal, he clearly realised that being a Real Madrid reserve was not to be the pinacle of his career and he forced through a permanent move to North London.

Whilst some Arsenal fans were calling for Emi Buendia, for James Maddison, Mikel Arteta knew the player Odegaard could become and the man he was.

A little more than 2-years after joining, he is now one of the best number 8s in the world. He combines technical ability and vision with a superb workrate. He is also a leader on and off the pitch.

https://x.com/squawka/status/1705170004398735738?s=46&t=NnmMnpIdEx5zWqnbfbhYSw

You never hear of Odegaard turning up late to training, partying abroad or complaining on social media. He is a model professional and the perfect person to be captain.

Not reliant on a great deal of pace, you can certainly see Odegaard having a long career at the top. Still only 24, you be dissapointed if he failed to maintain his current level for a further 8 or 9 years – Kevin de Bruyne being a similar player in style is still going strong at 32.

Credit also needs to go to Edu and Arteta for this deal.

Saliba, Gabriel, Odegaard, Saka and Martinelli is a fantastic core of a team and all have recently signed those longer terms deals. We are securing our future.

I was concerned 6 months ago that last year could be 2008 all over again – the peak season of a young team. That following them getting a sniff of success, they might do what Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy, Robin van Persie et al did and look elsewhere for guaranteed success.

The fact that they want to stay at The Arsenal and earn their success rather than move to a Bayern Munich or Manchester City and be gifted it says a lot about them. It also says a lot that they want to continue working under Mikel Arteta.

All of them will know how much Arteta has improved them. Bar Man City, no other top club has a proper coach that will work with senior players and improve them. Most top clubs rely on players being the “finished article” and their managers do not develop them.

Tomorrow, Tottenham.

Keenos

Declan Rice becomes World Class under Mikel Arteta guidance

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Before Declan Rice joined The Arsenal, he was a top, top midfielder.

It is testament to both Rice and Mikel Arteta that in their short time working together, Rice has quickly progressed and is now a world class performer.

Rice always had the natural attributes to become one of the best central midfielders in world football.

A powerful individual, he always had great technique for someone in his position. He is now adding improved tactical and positional awareness to his armoury.

Rice was always going to be limited at a club like West Ham.

Playing in an average team, with average coaching and surrounded by average coaches, his development had stalled. He was not being pushed on or off the pitch by team mates or manager. A big fish in a very small pond.

The demands of playing at Arsenal are so much greater than a club like West Ham. He can no longer coast through games and still be praised for being the best player on the team.

Rice has spoken recently about how much he has learned from Jorginho. He is also competing in his spot with Thomas Partey.

Like Rice, Partey is also one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. And it was only a couple of years ago that Jorginho was considered one of the best footballers on the planet – the Italian-Brazilian is one of footballs great brains and will become a top manager.

Rice has learned more in a couple of months from Jorginho and Partey than in had playing alongside Mark Noble for over half a decade.

You can see Rice’s development through his positional awareness.

At Arsenal, he now plus as the sole defensive midfielder, a role he was unable to undertake at West Ham where he was often part of a midfield two.

Rice is now developing a 360 degree view of the pitch. He is aware of what is happening behind him, ahead of him and to both sides. Most of the time at West Ham he only had to be concerned about what was happening in front of him as he played in a team the just looked to defend the box.

It is incredible his growth in such a short space of time. He clearly has the hunger and desire to learn, to get even better. At an elite club like Arsenal, he will only continue growing.

Keenos

Rice is finally fulfilling the potential he showed at a young age. Under Arteta, he will only get better.