Kevin Whitcher's Arsenal Blog

Arsenal 5 Everton 1   Premier League   Sunday 22nd May 2022 4pm     With Everton being safe from the drop and the inevitable news arriving during the first half from Carrow Road, Arsenal’s 5-1 win was a stroll in some the very pleasant May sunshine. The second half’s main interest was what was happening in the games that Liverpool and Manchester City were playing, as score updates came through on those phones that could get enough reception.   Arsenal’s opposition had done what they needed to on Thursday evening, leaving Leeds and Brentford to play games that actually mattered. Their supporters were in the unusual position of not being too worried about a hammering, enjoying more the news that Liverpool were denied another title and letting off blue flares for amusement rather than celebration. A healthy home attendance showed up. Yes, a few empty seats, but nothing like some of the gaps we’ve seen at the fag end of some previous campaigns when there has been no...

  Newcastle United 2 Arsenal 0   Premier League   Monday 16th May 2022 8pm     The most disappointing aspect of yesterday evening’s defeat was the apparent lack of motivation in the Arsenal team, who had plenty to play for, against a mid-table team that – in honesty – had every reason to just go through the motions. How did it end up evidently mattering to Newcastle so much more? It points to the difference in experience between the two managers. Eddie Howe (44 years old) has been picking teams since 2008. Mikel Arteta (40 years old) has been doing the same for two and half seasons. Howe has never had the chance at a club of Arsenal’s stature and expectation, although with the money behind him at Newcastle, who is to say they won’t overtake the Gunners soon enough? 2021-22 offered a unique opportunity for the Gunners to rejoin Europe’s top table, and it’s difficult to envisage that being easier next time around. The decision to give Arteta an extra two seasons –...

Tottenham Hotspur 3 Arsenal 0   Premier League   Thursday 12th May 2022   7.45pm     Arsenal have enjoyed some memorable matches at the Lane, and not always for the right reasons. Last night’s was definitely one all Gooners would prefer to forget. That might be easier if they are still above Spurs in the table in 10 days time, although the concern is that this season, their bad results have often come in threes, and if they fail to win at Newcastle on Monday, their Champions League hopes may no longer be in their own hands. Yes, Spurs are playing Burnley the day before, but at this stage, we have to prepare for the likelihood that the momentum of Antonio Conte’s team will see them win their last two fixtures. It was the first time that a full house, with away support had witnessed a North London derby since the stadium opened over three years ago. And let’s not pretend here – even if the area is a dump, you cannot argue with the quality of the stadium – a real c...

Arsenal 2 Leeds 1   Premier League   Sunday 8th May 2022   2pm     Rather like the weekend before, a win’s a win, but in a strange kind of way, the one Arsenal enjoyed at home to a ten man Leeds team was less satisfying than the one away to West Ham. The team did very well to go two up early on, but after that, with Leeds having ten men for more than an hour, things went a little strange. Arsenal dominated – as you’d expect, and you sensed this was perhaps an opportunity to work on the goal difference – which currently favours the noisy neighbours at the other end of the Seven Sisters Road. However, in spite of chances being created, Mikel Arteta’s team failed to increase their lead. In fairness, Leeds’ tactics a man down seemed to focus on not being beaten out of sight, so in one respect, played as if it were 0-0 and they were hanging on for a point.   Eddie Nketiah scored both goals, and Leeds’ keeper Meslier will have sleepless nights at how he was caugh...

West Ham 2 Arsenal 1   Premier League   Sunday 1st May 2022   4.30pm     Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how points are won, as long as they are won. The 90 minutes yesterday at the Olympic Stadium were a hard watch, and certainly one I can safely say I won’t take the opportunity to catch again in the years ahead.   West Ham started six of the players that were picked for the semi final against Eintracht Frankfurt, although there were some key men left out – not least Antonio and Soucek. Arsenal brought in Martinelli, Tomiyasu and Holding in three changes from the win against Manchester United, as Smith Rowe and Cedric dropped to the bench, with Ben White out of the picture due to a tight hamstring. There was little doubt that West Ham’s priority is the second leg of their semi final next Thursday, and it was reflected in their organization and relative lack of ambition in this game. It was a policy of containment for the most part, and for a long time, it wo...