WE ARE A F*CKING GOOD TEAM! | THE TITLE RACE IS ON! | Brighton 0-3 Arsenal Match Reaction

As the big man said there, people deluded, I'm back again. I think I speak for many Arsenal fans when I say we're an effing brilliant football team. Whether we win this league or not, Mikel Arteta is developing something special and we're getting bigger and better, ultimately football is decided in both ends. When you look at the goals we've scored since the turn of the year, when you look at the lack of goals we've conceded in a positive way since the turn of the year, we're becoming a more complete side. Added into that, the resilience. I know we've got three points, we won 3-0, but I would say the most exciting thing for me was seeing Gabriel and Trossart and all of them, when I think Gabriel made a vital block, celebrating. I love this team, I love the togetherness, I love everything we're doing. This is what we've deserved since we've moved to the Emirates era and to be honest with you, the last two years have probably been the time we've been the most serious of a football club during this Emirates era. I just think we've scratched the surface really, so it remains to be seen. I don't look at the league table, it remains to be seen whether we'll bring the trophy home, but we're giving it as good as we've got and with seven games left, to know the Emirates is a fortress and a difficult place to go to, to know we're rocking up at away grounds all around the country and giving people a tough time and winning games. I think in many ways today was amazing, but compared to what I've seen Arsenal this season and definitely the turn of the year, there are several gears we could have gone up and we've scored three goals, we've kept a clean sheet, there's no injuries and it's been a big condensed couple of weeks or a couple of days for us. We've got a good draw against City, we've dealt with Luton, we've now dealt with Brighton, which is a difficult team. Going into the game, their home form is great, we know what the derby is about and they are a very good football team and in many ways I think the scoreline does reflect how good Arsenal have been, but I also think it's, I mean life's in it, but it is quite harsh on Brighton in my opinion because they did make it difficult initially. You've got to be gracious in victory and defeat. I will give Brighton this. I feel for large periods of this game they were brave playing out from the back and our press wasn't good enough and they were beating it very easily. I think they were causing trouble with like two or three passes, especially over to Zinchenko's side. I do think Arsenal fans are being a bit harsh on Zinchenko defensively today because I think in a weird way, I think he could have given more in the final third and big up Gabriel Jesus, he probably could have scored as well. So I do think literally minuscule, but I did think we had to suffer at moments. Big up David Rye for that great save from NCO. I did think Brighton started very brightly and I do think our passing initially weren't really good enough and our kicking weren't really good enough and I think we needed to play through central areas a bit better. But we did what we needed to do. In many ways it was a beautiful performance but also an ugly one. When we first, it took us a while in my opinion to start growing into the game and playing how we can play and whatnot. And when we did, you know, it went over to Gabriel Jesus, he is fouled. Is it a harsh pen? Lamptey does get a bit of the ball but the follow through, you know, Zinchenko, not Zinchenko, Jesus has done the Brazilians thing, won the pen. I mean, I think I speak for every Arsenal fan, Saka's bloody good at penalties but we're all scared when Saka takes it. But he's converted, he's got us off to a good start. You know, at the end of the first half, people, I did think we could play a lot better. I did think we needed a bit more of an out ball. I did think we needed to play through central areas. I would like to see us test the keeper a lot more but generally going into halftime, I think it's fine considering the team brightened off. I think Gabriel had a good game but I think with Zinchenko in the team, I think Gabriel, he can't really play his natural game of late because, you know, he's pressing very high against Moldau and I think he thinks a bit too much about Zinchenko if I'm completely honest with you. But generally at halftime, I'm quite happy with what we're doing. Obviously, we've become accustomed to a lot more goals and things. I did think we need to be better in the final third. I did think our passing needed a bit more invention and intention. As I said, I wanted to attack central areas a bit more. I did think certain elements were a bit too easy for Brighton. I did think at times we're trying to walk the ball in the back of the net, trying to be a bit too patient and precise and there's a lot of foreplay, not enough penetration. I think we need to be more efficient and effective in the final third and although we're winning, I think the game is fairly balanced and I think 1-0 is probably the best scoreline. Going into halftime, of course, I think we're doing all right. But I did think if I'm sitting there in a Brighton perspective, you know, they've scored from a penalty, which is a moment. You know, Gabriel, well, Saka could have scored early in the first half. Gabriel had an header and Jesus as well. So we could have probably scored 3-0 in the first half. But if I'm Brighton, I'm personally sitting there and thinking, yeah, they scored a penalty. But other than that, they haven't really asked anything really. Big up Benjamin White, he had a great game as well, as did Jorginho. Havertz and Saliba would be my personal men for many of the match. We'll trust that for his impact off the bench. But I think, you know, Brighton would think they're hard done by and they're still in the game, which they are at 1-0. Even though there's famous chants about Arsenal, 1-0 to the Arsenal, it's a dangerous scoreline. So second half, we need to be patient. We need to strike that balance between offering more in an attacking sense and being a bit more street smart with not being naive defensively. And I think that's exactly what we did really and truly. I think it was great play down the right-hand side. How Jorginho found himself as a right winger. He played a couple of great balls over the top of the first half. But how he found himself there, I don't know. I don't care. Shout out to Odegaard for his involvement as well. To obviously find Kai Havertz. Kai Havertz got in the box, put the ball in the back of the net. Don't care who scores, how we score, just that we do that. And Kai Havertz has been in a great run of form. Happy he never got a yellow card as well because Douglas Luiz is missing the Aston Villa game. If Chelsea play and Kai Seedle picks up a yellow card, he misses the Chelsea one, so misses the Arsenal game against Chelsea. So happy Kai Havertz didn't get a yellow in that. I think the ref started off well and then he started bugging out. But you know, Arsenal fans always moan about the refs. I do think we are the men and women who cry wolf, but there is an injustice. But this season, we're getting things done. At 1-0, we're still in the Even though we've been great defensively, we're very difficult to break down. We're very good in terms of the pressing. I think it's an even game. And while I've got more confidence because of what Arsenal and Arteta are doing, you always got in the back of your mind, ooh, 1-0. It's a bit scary sort of thing. And we all know Liverpool City and just the whole footballing world are probably cheering on Brighton to score really and truly. So I think the second goal, obviously after Saka scored his pen, Havertz scored at the right time. The third goal was the icing on top of the cake. It was written in the stars. I said at the start of my watch along, go and look at that vid. That Trossart's going to do something lovely and packed off the bench with Trossart. And I like that goal because it's against the run of play from a Brighton perspective. Shout out to Havertz and Trossart. And it's lovely, you know, that Trossart goal was reminiscent in many ways of Alexis Sanchez against West Ham a few years ago. And you know, it's ironic because if Trossart's decision-making along with a couple of others last week against City was better, who knows where we'd be in the table really and truly. I don't look at the league table. What some people in the chat said, we've got, we're back at the top. So with seven games left, let's keep going. Lovely finish from Trossart. Love to see him scoring against his former club and doing the celebration and endearing himself to the Arsenal fan base as much as he can. Trossart showed why it's, I don't think it's respectful to call him a super sub because he's so much more than that, but he was a super sub today. So we mucked in, we got a clean sheet, we scored some goals, boosting up the GD. The most important thing is the three points, you know, and now we go on to Bayern Munich, which is a different test. Now they lost today domestically, so they're going to be more up for it. You know, the games ain't getting any easier. You know, we've got to play Aston Villa, got to go Wolves away, got to go to Old Trafford away, got to go to North London Derby away, got to welcome Chelsea to our place. Got a game against Everton on the last day of the season, dependent on what they're fighting for. That could be something. So there's some big games to play for people. There's several cup finals left, but the squad, whoever is starting or being rotated in or working their way back from injury or who have been the go-to men, have been doing what needs to be done. So I'm a happy bunny, I've got no complaints, you know, in a nice way. It's nice to watch match of the day again. So hopefully Mikel Arteta and the boys enjoyed today. Hopefully the fans did. Obviously we enjoyed tonight. Tomorrow, Sunday, the work begins for Bayern Munich and what's left of the season, people, because as good as we've been, it's still all to play for and everything's in the balance. I think United are going to get bent over backwards tomorrow, but I hope that, you know, they can do something against Liverpool. All we can do is control the variables that we can control and we've been doing that. We saw City beat Crystal Palace earlier today. We're keeping our name going in relation to that and ensuring it goes on and ticks over for another week, really and truly. So, yeah, I'm a happy lad, man. Credit to Mikel Arteta, everyone who came off the bench and everyone who started the game, people. Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe. Let me know your thoughts, people, on your men of the match, on what you think happened in the game, what you think was good, areas of improvement, how the first half went, how the second half went. I'm a happy lad, man. I'm a happy lad and, you know what, to kind of close this off, people, where is it? Where is it? Where is Otto? Because I was going to save it for a tactical review and I still am, but the statistics in relation to our football club are absolutely sexy, man. Like, let's not cap, people. Like, Arsenal haven't trailed for a single minute in any of their 11 Premier League games in 2024. That's the longest run without falling behind in the competition since a run of 12 between February and May of 2005. We currently have a goal difference of plus 51 in the Premier League, their highest in the competition since the final day of 0-4-0-5 and we're saying we need to sign attackers. Saka has got 14 goals in 29 Premier League outings, equaling his most in a single campaign in the competition and that's with being subbed when he's on a brace and obviously missing out against Luton, people. We're doing exactly what we need to do, man. It's absolutely amazing what we're doing, man. Like, I can't complain at all, man. I'm an absolute happy lad, people, and there is some more statistics and whatnot, people, and in fact, you know what? F it, man. Let's find them. Let's find them, people. Let's absolutely find them. Saka has been directly involved in 30 goals across all comps for the first time in his career, 38 games, 17 goals and 13 assists, people. David Rara is the first ever Spanish keeper to keep a clean sheet in five consecutive Premier League away games. He's on course for his first ever Golden Glove, people. Our away record in 2024, win, win, win, win, draw, win, 22 goals scored, five clean sheets, one conceded and as I said at the start, Brighton have a 12-game unbeaten run at the Amex and we did very well in that regards, people, to go to a tougher away ground and get three points, people. We scored 38 goals in 2024, at least seven more than any other side, conceded four in 2024, at least six fewer than any other side, kept seven clean sheets in 2024, at least two more than any other side. We're building something special at the carpet, people. Kai Havertz has now scored more league goals for Arsenal than he ever did in a single Premier League season for Chelsea. He's now in double figures. Who can complain, man? What more can you say, people? And on that note, let me know your thoughts. Like, comment, subscribe. Peace.