Arsenal

Stunning goals from Madueke and Martinelli and some much needed rotation. Felt it was unnecessary to bring Saka on at all there but is what it is. Good to see Jesus back which gives us another rotation option too.

I think a lot of the rotation was enforced due to injuries so hopefully some of them return for the Wolves game. So happy to see Jesus get some minutes. As ajc28 said, it gives us another option especially up front. He's bound to be rusty to start off with.
Six from six. All but guaranteed a top 8 spot and only 1 goal conceded. Hopefully the draw in the next round is a favourable one if we can maintain top spot and not get someone like PSG as Liverpool did last year.

Would like to see Norgaard start this weekend with Zubimendi getting a much needed rest. I guess he was signed for today's kind of games. Midweek cup games against supposed "weaker" oppositions where we can afford to rotate a bit or need to fill in a gap somewhere with injuries. But if you won't trust him at home against the worst team in the league then he seems a bit pointless. He was captain and almost ever-present for a team who finished in the top half last season. He should in theory be capable to start against Wolves at home.

We needed that. Been wobbling a little.
Great that Madueke added some serious output to the promise weve seen from so far. 
Now gotta deal with wolves this weekend, and grind out wins while we wait for these CBs to return. 
Saliba should be back hopefully, hes very close, but perhaps a few more weeks before we see gabriel and mosquera?

I’ve snagged tickets to the Wolves game - cannot wait to go!

Not a great first half. Wolves sitting deep af and leaving no space for nothing. Still, we've had chances. Martinelli couple of had a couple and Gyokeres was unlucky not to get onto the end of a bit of Saka magic. 
Unfortunately White has gone off injured so that is another defender down. But MLS has look good since coming on as his replacement. 

Fs

Get in!!

Lucky. That was tragic.

Not the best performance from our lads, credit to Wolves who parked the bus from kick off and stopped us getting into the box or even close for the first 45. This is why we have resorted to scoring form corners - most teams set up with 5 at the back against us and use a high block to stop our free flowing attacks.
At this stage you take goals in whatever way you can, two own goals gives us the 3 points. Top of the table even if City win!

Fudgeing hell.  Relief is the feeling. Today felt like 3 seasons ago when we couldn’t beat bottom in the league Southampton at home and then it all slipped away. It's obviously much earlier in the season but if we hadn't won and Man City hit first tomorrow that would have almost felt like that again.  

That was not what I was expecting. Apparently we were above the Wolves supporters. Didn’t hear a peep. Excited to see them go down. 

Lads get a full 7 days off until our next match, looks like they’ll need it.

Also, how good is a 9am Sunday kickoff for us? Know 8pm Saturday is not ideal over there, especially for away traveling fans, but can we play that time every week? Weirdly we get it again next weekend.  

An hour in and the team are looking mighty average. Good to see Gyökeres score even if just a penalty. Hoping we can grind it out.

Unconvincing again but got the job done.

And grind it out we did. Good to get the 3 points. Much like last week more clinical finishing earlier in the game and we'd have had a comfortable cushion early on to control proceedings from. I liked the tactical tweak to see Saka drift to left wing to combine with Trossard. Jesus looks in good knick off the bench so far. Now the games come thick and fast, every 3 or 4 days over the festive season. Palace on a bad run at the moment so hopefully we can get past them with ease.

I'll take winning even if we werent as clinical as I'd have liked. Top going into xmas, can we win the league form here? Be the first time we've done it while leading at xmas.
10 points ahead of Liverpool, 2 ahead of City.
We keep on keeping on and we are a solid chance.
To be in this position with all the injuries is massive though.

Worrying at the attacking end right now but overall we control games very well, and still give up very little chances. Hincapie and Mosquera have been very good for us, but Gabriel was absolutely world class before his injury, cannot wait to have him back again. 
The most concerning thing is that City appear to be improving and are starting to routinely batter teams. We need to up our game and start winning by 2-3 goals regularly again. 

That's how you take a penalty by the way. Just put your fudgeing foot through it. 

Basically any defeat from here feels almost fatal. We know Man City will likely just go unbeaten now. We've all seen this film before.

Little bit concerned with how strong the starting lineup is today. Thought we could/should have rotated more. 
Edit - scrap that, my app had a different 11 loaded. What we have actually it quite good

Agreed. Finally some logical rotation. Apparently we have 80% possession in the first half.

I'd love to go on and win it.  There's a real opportunity for this group of players to win something together.  I get that it's obviously not the CL but this group have built a reputation of near misses and repeatedly coming 2nd. Getting over that final hurdle to lift a trophy together at Wembley could do wonders for the bigger things. Winning breeds winning and all that.  

Never really understood why it's beneath us but the other big teams are happy to keep winning it.  Maybe if we were winning the league and CL every season,  but this team really needs to get over the line and win something to kick start more winning.  We have a huge squad now and got through a quarter final without Rice (until the last 5 mins) or Zubimendi or Raya having to play and without Saka or Odegaard until late in the game. I don't see why winning it wouldn’t be a good thing now that we're this far.  The players' reaction didn't look like it means nothing to them either.

We're still on for the quadruple and I am here for it!

Merry Christmas lads. Feeling very lucky, mrs surprised me with the third kit!

brumbys

Merry Christmas lads. Feeling very lucky, mrs surprised me with the third kit!

I had some of my shirts personalised at Football Central in Wellington. They came out really well

That Raya saved. Just incredible. Shouldn't have been needed to keep us in front. But amazing nonetheless 

Long sleeve Zubimendi is an excellent shout!

It feels like there’s so much on the line against Villa in a few days time. We’re grinding out wins but we look so unconvincing. A win by more than 1 and no injuries would be amazing.

kwlap

That Raya saved. Just incredible. Shouldn't have been needed to keep us in front. But amazing nonetheless 

It was astonishing. I'd put my head in my hands and couldn't believe it wasn't in when I looked back up. With Man City on top I'd almost mentally accepted the league was gone in the moment I thought it was in.

brumbys

Merry Christmas lads. Feeling very lucky, mrs surprised me with the third kit!

Nice.  Got through a rare present opening without an Arsenal thing this time,  but that was because it was all bought for my birthday this year when we were over there!

2 up with 30mins to go. Looking good. Hope for a strong finish

Ohhh trossard!!!

Well that was a statement!
4-1 with basically a concession goal to Watkins, who was literally throwiong himself to the ground to get a pen every chance he got.
0 shots on target until the 85thish minute for Villa.
Totally dominant and ruthless all while resting Rice.
Great to see Gabriel back with Saliba, and also Jesus back fit and scoring, but Trossard again was brilliant.

Huge result.  That second half is our best performance in a long time.  That was an opposition and manager we've struggled against and who were on an 11 game winning streak. Feels like a statement.

Statement win as the commentator said.

I only saw the second half but great to see no injuries. Gabriel was immense. Zubimendi’s goal was pick of the bunch - that pass from Odegaard perfect. Happy to see Jesus get a goal. That’ll do wonders for the confidence.

Such a huge 3 points, great for our goal difference.

Very very good win. 

Very very good win. 

Lol at Emery storming straight off down the tunnel without a handshake too. Good ebening.

We really really really needed that.

As much as I enjoyed watching that, especially the 2nd half, it still annoys me how we concede late goals because we sit back and allow the opposition to have possession and attack us. Luckily it had no impact on the three points this time. Best goal for me was the 4th for the quick counter attacking way we scored it. So happy to see Jesus get on the scoresheet