Three Things We Learned After Arsenal’s Goalless Draw With Liverpool

Martinelli’s manufactured controversy sparks pathetic fake moral outrage from United hasbeens

Three Things We Learned After Arsenal’s Goalless Draw With Liverpool

Martinelli’s manufactured controversy sparks pathetic fake moral outrage from United hasbeens

1 - A point is ok

If, as soon as the fixtures had been released last summer, someone had offered you the chance for Arsenal to be six points clear at the top of the Premier League after the first week in January you would have taken it wouldn’t you. Wouldn’t you?

I certainly would have done, especially given Arsenal’s tough run of opening games.

So, while it would have been nice to have gone eight points clear last night, the fact is six points ahead of a spell of four cup clashes from five games across the bulk of mid-January allows for a little contemplation - reflection from the top of the Premier League, it has to be said.

Yes, it was a disappointing game. albeit one played in extremely challenging weather conditions.

And yes, Liverpool in the opening 20 minutes were there for the taking.

I must admit I do feel on occasions like last night that this Arsenal side just don’t realise how good they are as a team sometimes. And should have gone for Liverpool’s throat in the early stages.

But the visitors hit the bar - when they could, and should, have scored - and generally dominated the second half, as Mikel Arteta conceded in his post-match press conference that I attended.

So, a point against last season’s champions is not to be sniffed at, despite all the noise around the game, much from those, who, to quote Logan Roy in Succession, ‘are not serious people’.

As Arteta said afterwards: “We go again.”

2 - Martinelli’s manufactured controversy

Sometimes when a game has been hyped so much, but subsequently falls so flat, taking points are required. Minor events are amplified, incidents are blown out of all proportion, and a villain of the piece is required.

And lo it passed that Gabi Martinelli became last night’s fall guy.

Yes, he shouldn’t have pushed Conor Bradley off the pitch in the closing moments.

However, as Arteta, and, to be fair, Arne Slot - whose post-match presser I also attended last night - said afterwards that Martinelli didn’t realise Bradley was injured.

Understandably Gabi’s push prompted scuffles. Although I have to say I was heartened by the fact that a number of Arsenal players joined in to protect their teammate, as well as underline that you simply can’t push this Gunners side around.

I was at the so called ‘Battle of Old Trafford’ back in 1990, and I would always prefer my team to look after each other, and face the consequences afterwards, than be pushed around - as they invariably had been in the decade before Arteta assumed power - even if I must admit I did think that would be the headline.

But it wasn’t. It was Gabi trying to remove from the pitch, a player he believed to be time wasting, who was writhing on the touchline.

Cue predictable hand wringing nonsense, and fake moral outrage.

Not least from those faded Manchester United has beens, Gary Neville, and Roy Keane.

I watched the highlights when I got home (soaked to the bone, I hasten to add, more below) and the gleeful tone of excitement from the increasingly cretinous caricature Neville was evident after the incident. As if he couldn’t wait to stick the boot in.

What he said was of course arrant nonsense. Which of course Neville spouts on a regular basis these days.

It’s as if he hasn’t ever got over the United vs Arsenal rivalry from when he was a player, and will never fail to find an angle, however small and inconsequential, in which to lambast the Gunners.

I’m sure you don’t anyway, but for anyone who still does listen to Neville, do yourself a favour and simply ignore everything he says. It’s better for us all, and him, if we refuse to acknowledge his witless pronouncements.

As for Keane. Well, he’s simply an embarrassment these days.

One of the greatest midfielders I’ve ever seen - my word I used to love watching our Patrick Vieira go up against him - has degenerated into becoming a laughing stock with the utter gibberish he spouts against Arsenal.

As I tweeted on the tube to Cockfosters before the early hours drive home, Keane having a go at Gabi Martinelli? Oh please. Doesn’t he remember stamping on Gareth Southgate’s chest twice while his opponent was on the floor? Or how about him ending Alf Inge-Haaland’s career? Pathetic

3 - A deluge of gratitude

How cold and wet was it last night?

It wasn’t that bad I hear you scoff?

Well, try flogging the Gooner Fanzine for two long hours in freezing rain that mercilessly lashed down, is what I say.

Before I scurried over to the media centre to cover the game it was as if someone had thrown a bucket of (freezing) cold water all over me.

Soaked to the bone I was. My socks, jeans and even long johns were absolutely soaked (I know some of you now can’t unsee that image, but bear with me).

So, a massive thank you to the few brave souls who bought a copy of the Gooner of me last night (I love you all), and kudos to those who actually stopped for a quick chat with an increasingly dishevelled and shivering Gooner seller.

Well done also to everyone who braved the rain to actually get to the ground last night in such challenging conditions, not to mention dealing with transport issues in and around London and the south-east. And of course to all the volunteers who helped lay out 60,000 red and white plastic bags for the pre-match fan display.

As for my fingers, well, I couldn’t actually feel them, especially when trying to give change to our hardy matchday readers.

No wonder I spent most of half time under a drier in the loo. I didn’t actually thaw out until I ramped up the heating in my car on the drive home well after midnight. I even dusted off our trusty hot water bottle when I got back.

So, here’s hoping it’s a bit warmer - and drier - for Arsenal Women vs United on Saturday morning, as well as Portsmouth on Sunday.

Come on you Gunners

Cheers, Layth