Morning all and welcome to the start of another week.
Arsenal’s fantastic weekend did joy quote come off as Tottenham thrashed Newcastle United.
We all probably got a little excited when Newcastle went 1-nil up. Not so much excitement as Tottenham hit 5.
The big win for Spurs not only took them above us, but also saw them take the lead in goal difference.
It is going to be tight in the race for the top 4 and it could come down to GD.
Whilst we have dominated games recently, we have not really had a “big win” in 2022.
Victory over Leicester City was the first time this calendar year that we won a league game by more than a single goal.
Meanwhile Tottenham hit 4 against Leeds, 5 against Everton and another 5 against Newcastle yesterday. Those wins have seen them quickly turnover a negative goal difference into a +13.
We are level on points as it stands, with two games in hand.
The goal is to keep winning. And if all goes well the rearranged game at White Hart Lane will not be crucial.
There is a niggling doubt that we will go into the penultimate game of the season 3 points ahead, but with a worse goal difference. It will make it a “winner takes all” game.
The only silver lining of yesterdays result is Newcastle’s capitulation.
Now they are close to safety, their players heads may well turn towards the beach. If that happens, the visit to St James Park is not as daunting.
The same goes for tonight’s game against Crystal Palace and the trip to Southampton.
As these teams have less to play for, the intensity in their play will decrease.
Six wins in the last 10 games should be enough. We will need to win at least two of our tricky aways.
A Sunday morning spring coffee is always one of my most zen moments of the week.
There is a chill in the air which awakens your senses, the hot sun beating on my skin and all IBC an hear is birds chirping. And the distant hum of the M11. I think I will grab another cuppa before starting my day.
Yesterday was a good day for Arsenal. Even though we did not play.
No one saw that Chelsea defeat coming. And the manner of the defeat will be concerning to the fans.
Losing 4-1 at home to a side in a relegation battle is never a good look. But the defeat comes on the backdrop of the Roman Abramovich sanctions, the clubs impending sale and Thomas Tuchel splitting from his wife.
They are clearly a club in turmoil off the pitch, and it was only a matter of time until that translated on the pitch.
Chelsea have a Champions League game against Real Madrid mid-week before visiting Southampton.
Whilst yesterday was there first league defeat in 6 games, you feel they could be on the brink of imploding.
What the lose to Brentford does is re-open 3rd place as a genuine target. We beat Crystal Palace on Monday (by no means an easy feat) and the gap is closed to just 2 points.
Also dropping points in the race for the top 4 was Manchester United.
A 1-1 draw at home to Leicester City is a disaster for them. Now 3 points behind us, we have two games in hand (the first of which is the game against Palace tomorrow).
It is getting to the point where we will start talking about “maximum points” that our opponents can get.
If Manchester United win their last 8 games, they will be on 75 points. Realistically they are not going to go on an 8 game winning streak.
It wasn’t just the draw against Leicester City, but the performance.
Man U were toothless, passionless and clueless.
They played without a striker and seemed to be playing without a game plan.
Scott McTominay eas lucky to stay on the pitch. And whilst VAR was right to rule out a second Leicester goal, you do feel if that was a Manchester United goal it would have stood.
That highlights the problem with VAR.
Whilst offside now no longer has a grey area – you are either on or off; fouls and what is deemed “clear and obvious” is still subjective.
I do think yesterday was a clear abs obvious decision. Kelechi Iheanacho did foul Varane. But it is one of those that you feel referees would decide it wasn’t a clear and obvious error if it was in favour of Manchester United in front of the Stretford End or Liverpool in front of the Kop.
Regardless, it is 2 points dropped for Manchester United and 3 points dropped for Chelsea.
Today Tottenham face Newcastle at home. I do not expect any slip-ups from them. But then again we have to remember teams are playing the “new Newcastle” who have shown top 4 form since February 1st. Not the old one that showed bottom 4 form for the first 20 games of the season.
If (and it is a big if) Tottenham do drop points, it will be a fantastic weekend for Arsenal without even playing.
Monday we travel to Palace and they showed against Manchester City that they are difficult to break down.
With their array of exciting forward talent – Zaha, Mateta, Olise and Eze – they are dangerous on the break.
Manchester City understood this which led them to play cautiously against them; not committing too many men forward on attacks.
Palace play with a deep defence and pace on attack. They will be a threat.
One last thing, our friends at Kick Off Merchants have just released their new 1988 inspired collection. Well worth a look if you have a home bar or looking for a gift ideas!
Of course, the story was an April Fools. Most seemed to spot it but it was picked up by a few bloggers and YouTubers who ran with it thinking it was a real article.
Onto today and we face Southampton. We have no game today, with the TV companies deciding to have us on Monday night against Crystal Palace.
Hi he knowledge that we do not play today has suddenly thrown my weekend into chaos.
I have some work to do on the old laptop and was planning to coincide that with the game. No I will have to get it done whilst watching something else. Anything decent on Netflix lately?
The match versus the Saints Crystal Palace is one of a few tricky away games mid-table teams.
We still have to visit the likes of Southampton, West Ham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace. These games will not be easy and is why I am a little uncomfortable with the “favourites” tag we have for top 4.
What could be in our favour is as these teams begin to have very little to play for, their minds could wander to the beach.
And with West Ham, their progress in the Europa League could be hugely beneficial to our hopes – they are potentially due to play a semi final either side of our game.
If they progress to the next round, they are surely putting the kids out against us.
Top 4 is in our hands. We just need to keep ticking off those wins.
Mikel Arteta won Manager of the Month for the second time this season.
I do not really care for personal awards in a team game. Give me a Yaya Sanogo’s FA Cup winners medal over Harry Kane’s 7 Player of the Month trophies any day.
But it does show that we were right to stick with Arteta during a sticky period. We will only continue to grow with him at the helm. He just seems to get it.
Enjoy your Saturday. And if you are travelling down to the south-cost, you are leaving a few weeks early.
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 