A Special Night at The Arsenal

Arsenal outclassed sorry Manchester United to post a memorable victory

Hello!

Happy Thursday!

It certainly is after last night’s performance and result!

I’m still buzzing now, as I’m sure you are too.

Arsenal provided the fireworks to completely and utterly dominate Manchester United to win 2-0 at the Emirates on Wednesday evening. CREDIT:

Layth (@laythy29)

The deep, deep joy that football can provide at times, glorious times such as this, are adrenaline-boosted, dopamine-doused, passion-powered, - and quite like nothing else, and believe me I’ve sampled a few alternatives over the years.

Quite simply, last night was a result for the ages.

One to recall when warning our souls on bitterly cold nights in our dotage: The night Arsenal utterly dominated the mighty Manchester United.

Of course, Arsenal being Arsenal, we didn’t actually hand them the thrashing we’ve been promising for the last few years - typical that Erik ten Hag was sacked a few weeks before we played them, as I genuinely believe that we had have handed him his *rse on a plate if his appallingly limited tactics had turned up to the Emirates.

As it was we had to dispatch the annoyingly likeable Rubin Amorim and his far grimmer side through our party-piece - aka the set-piece. Twice. Even if Thomas Partey, Mikel Merino and Kai Havertz should have ensured we scored five for the third game running.

No matter. Four wins on the bounce after the international break is what’s important - with the prospect of more to come if we can keep playing at this level of intensity.

It was revealing to observe Mikel Arteta during his post-match press conference after the game. Normally, with such a dominant display under his belt, he would have exuded far more energy, allied with an impish response to questions, as well as a glint in his eye. But the Gunners boss knew that this was no time for any hint of self-congratulation, back-slapping or victorious pride.

No, the feeling was more one of job done, we move to the next game. Even if it was the once mighty Manchester United his rampant Arsenal side had just dismantled.

Baubles and plaudits meant nothing to Arteta in the aftermath of victory last night,

Meaning all that he cares about, all that he is determined to do is to hunt down Liverpool - because this is the best Arsenal team we have seen since the end of the Invincibles, on that sad, rainy night in Paris back in 2006.

Bring it on. As Bukayo Saka said: “This is our time.”

As an indication of Arsenal’s superb team spirit, how wonderful it was to note that the injured Riccardo Calafiori waited on the touchline in his not inconsiderably stylish Italian civvies, to warmly greet each and every player as they made their way off the pitch and back up into the tunnel. It was a small gesture, but a very revealing one.

I can think of many a player in the late Wenger years who would have been halfway to their shiny overpriced high performance car in the stadium car park by that point - and that was if they were playing, let alone injured.

So, it was as reassuring as it was satisfying to watch the sheer joy de vivre - not to mention simply taking joy from others happiness - that Calafiori displayed in a powerful vignette of why, as Bukayo Saka insisted earlier in the season and a statement I fully believe when he simply said: ‘this is our year.’

As for Liverpool, well, Newcastle denied them three points, and now the annoyingly affable Arnie Slot has to take his team to the bearpit that will be Goodison Park on Saturday lunchtime for a keenly-awaited Merseyside derby, the last I believe that will take place in that venerable old stadium.

……….

The Jack Porter mystery

The Jack Porter mystery

Regular readers will know I went to a freezing cold Hertingfordbury Park on Tuesday evening to cover Arsenal U18s thrilling 4-3 victory over a battling Hertford Town to win through to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup.

After the final whistle, the referee in his wisdom decided to send off young keeper Jack Porter for what I assumed was over-zealous celebrations, in particular vigorously whirling a shirt, or top, over his head. (Quite what the referee would make of the Boca Juniors vs River Plate derby is another matter entirely.

The decision caused a bit of a stir, but will be good in the long-run for the talented if overly exuberant 16-year-old Porter - who, don’t forget made his first team debut at the Emirates back in September during Arsenal’s 5-1 evisceration of Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the FA Cup - and the experience will keep him in good stead as he learns his trade, at places such as Hertingfordbury Park.

However, someone asked me last night while I was flogging the Gooner outside the Emirates before kick-off: “Did Porter actually get sent off, as I can’t find anything on the club website?”

The mystery thickens.

Are Arsenal hoping that if they simply don’t mention the fact, it will go away?

Similar to how my questions during the broadcast section of Mikel Arteta’s press conferences are omitted on the club’s website - the latest being my question on Zinchenko the other week, with Arteta’s reply very much on my dictaphone, if not the full transcript they put out on the site- presumably in the same vein that if they don’t acknowledge my presence will I simply go away (No, is my answer…)

Anyway, I will endeavour to get confirmation from Arsenal - or failing that the FA themselves for it was their competition - that young Porter was indeed sent off, as he most certainly was according to what I witnessed after the final whistle.

In fact you can see the aftermath on our Gooner Fanzine Facebook page if you scroll down far enough to Tuesday’s posts.

PS:

It was great to catch up with so many good people at The Arsenal while attempting to flog copies of the current issue.

Such a shame Kier Starmer and his entourage couldn’t stop to buy a copy. Although, to be fair, they did seem very preoccupied with simply getting to the ground safely. See the video on the Gooner Fanzine Facebook page here