That is remarkable indeed, but I find it quite logical when thinking about it. We are in Arsenal’s shadow this season, seen as a dark horse at the very best, while they are seen as Cheaty’s main rivals. So, everything will be done to impede them early in the season (remind me, who are the refs’ paymasters again, at least for a part of them?).
As for us, if we stay strong and eventually become dangerous for the sheiks, we know what awaits us later in the season…
They are a snidey shtihouse team who very often make games difficult for the ref to manage with their cynicism. Refs are often put in a position where they notice it, but feel nitpicky punishing it until eventually they feel forced into acting due to accumulation, with the straw that broke the camel’s back often looking unworthy of that sort of punishment. That leads Arsenal fans to feel aggrieved, ignoring the 5 times they have cynically got away with other stuff.
I find it remarkable that whatever anyone thinks of the Rice red I have seen not a single piece condemning him for at least giving the ref the opportunity to punish him while already being on a yellow. That is the true mark of how disconnected from objectivity the responses are.
They played almost the entire season without De Bruyne, had Stones available for only about half the season, and lost their goalie to injury in the vital games down the stretch that they needed to win.
Not one for celebrating other teams injuries, as eventually we will have issues too.
The injuries will be telling for Arsenal in the next two weeks - they face Spurs (A) this weekend (Sunday, 2pm), then Atalanta (A) midweek (Thurs 8pm), before they go away to City (Sunday 430pm).
If everything were perfect for Arteta, his starting midfield three would likely be Rice, Merino, and Odegaard, all of whom are unavailable for Spurs. Injuries will limit Arteta’s ability to rotate his squad for the Atalanta game too, before City.
This weekend they probably have to go Jorginho, Partey and then Havertz (unless they move a defender into midfield). The North London derby is one of those games where madness happens.
I hope they lose to Spurs, and then manage to get a draw out of City. Lose both PL games and they could be 8 points behind City (and us). That would seem a pretty big gap five fixtures in also.
Of course, defensively they still look strong, and were the best in the league last year, and they have plenty in attack.
And then they have the other issue, that their injuries are compounding. Havertz dropping back to replace Odegaard looks like a decent plan, except for the fact he has to be playing as striker right now with Jesus out and Nketiah sold.
They’ll have to do a real makeshift team to account for it all. Maybe Zinchenko coming into an orthodox midfield to replicate the role he plays for Ukraine allowing Havertz to continue playing up top? The only other alternative is to use Trossard or as a make shift striker, or even possibly Sterling.