Sheffield United 1 - 0 Arsenal

Give the Blades some credit; they played hard and smart.  But as soon as I saw the starting lineup, I knew we were in for disappointment.  What is Emery waiting for with Bellerin, Tierney, and Holding?  Why no Ozil?  Why, oh why, Xhaka?  At this point, I'm eager to see what a better manager can get out of this very talented Arsenal squad,  It has to be more than Emery is getting.

Arsenal 1 - 0 Bournemouth

It's embarrassing that the Gunners scored just once in the first half against what looked like eleven sleepwalkers.  Howe woke them up for the second, and the Cherries could have scored, but they didn't, and we got the three points we needed to climb into sole possession of third place, just one point back of Man City, who got outplayed 0-2 at the Etihad by Wolves.  At this point, I just hope Liverpool loses a game somewhere along the way so they aren't Invincibles too.  It's their league already, eight games in.  Man U and Spuds also lost in humiliating fashion, so we have a little cushion in the early going.  We'll need it if we don't start playing better in the league.

After the international break, our first eleven should be:

                             Leno

Bellerin  Chambers   Holding   Tierney

                  Torreira  Guendouzi

                          Willock

Aubameyang                             Saka

                       Lacazette


...if Laca is fit, of course.  Xhaka, Ceballos, and Ozil could play in MF when the situation called for it.  Nelson and Pepe are quality threats up front.  I'd relegate AMN, Kolasinac, Mustafi, Luiz, and Sokratis to backup/cup status in defense, but any of them could supplement the starting central defenders in a back three if Emery decided that was his formation (and honestly, I'd like to see that).  This team is really deep now, with a great mix of veterans, players in their prime, and young guys still improving.  The only first team players who seem to have no future at Arsenal are Ozil, Mustafi, and Mavropanos, and we have to move at least the first two on at our earliest opportunity.  I was sorry to see Iwobi sold, but after seeing Saka, Nelson, and Willock this year, I get how Arsenal couldn't turn down the money.  It was very good business for us.  The jury's out on Pepe.  We have Saliba and Nketiah available next year, so I am not sure we'd need to improve the squad by buying players.

But we do need to improve the players we have, and I wonder if that's something Emery is equipped for.  I'm also not sure he's using the squad to maximum effect, either in team selection or tactically.  (That's being very diplomatic.)  But I really like this team, they're almost all healthy, and they should kick on from the less-than-impressive start to the season that has nevertheless left them in OK position early on in the league, and very much  alive in the cup competitions.

Man U 1 - 1 Arsenal

Fair result for two teams playing poorly in steady rain.  The finishing was awful except for Aubameyang's delicate chip over a stranded DeGea.  McTominay's goal was lauded by the announcers until the replay showed that it was a fortunate deflection.  Both clubs desperately needed the three points, but neither earned them.  Supporters can dream about how both these squads will be bolstered by returns from injury, but this was today and the men wearing the shirts weren't good enough.

Not that there wasn't a great deal of enterprise and grit.  It was a tough match to referee, bodies flying everywhere and plenty of play-acting and appeals to the officials.  Kevin Friend was somewhat uneven, but got it right most of the time--and when he didn't, he got it wrong the other way soon enough.  The first half was dreadful, but the second had much more action, and redeemed the contest as a spectacle, I thought.

If I'm going to complain, and of course I am, it will be about the decision to play Pepe and Chambers on our right.  The former was never going to give the latter the help the latter needed to corral James, especially after the early yellow.  Nelson was a lot better in that regard.  Pepe contributed very little on the day, I thought, except poor dead ball deliveries.  Saka was somewhat better on the left.  It's hard to criticize the tactics because nothing either team did seemed to work.  Leno had another very good game, and had to.

I'm disappointed.  If there was ever going to be a good time to play at Old Trafford, this was it, and we couldn't get it done.

Two Needed Wins: Frankfurt 0 - 3 Arsenal, and Arsenal 3 - 2 Aston Villa

I did not see these games live, so I won't make extensive comments.  But it's clear that our defenders are putting us in difficult positions time after time.  It's only a matter of time before Luiz is benched for EPL games; he's frequently switching off, when he isn't taking himself out of the play with gonzo defending.  I can't understand why Chambers doesn't start in central defense, at least for games like this.

I'm delighted with both results.  It puts us in pole position already for Europa league advancement, and keeps us in a "best of the rest" spot--barely--behind the top two, who are in a class by themselves now.  Losses from Spuds, Man U, and Chelsea made this an important win, particularly after the abject performance at Watford.  How can we expect to compete if we can't get 3 points from the bottom teams?

The play of our Academy graduates is hugely encouraging.  Joe Willock is playing himself into a regular starting position, and Saka looks like a good replacement for Laca until he recovers from his injury.  Don't forget Nketiah, currently scoring for Leeds--I think he'll be an Arsenal forward with a bright future.

It seems like a good time to be playing Man United, but who knows?  Luiz could bottle it in the first half.  I can't wait for Holding to get fit.  I guess Mavropanos has the Diaby position now:  forever injured.

Watford 2 - 2 Arsenal

At the half, I thought we were lucky to have the 2-0 lead, but I didn't think there was any chance we weren't going to get three points.  By the end, I felt we lucky to get one point.  What a shocking display.  If Watford had a finisher, they'd have scored four or five.  Xhaka was more honest than Emery afterwards, admitting they played scared and without character.  I'm going to try to forget this awful experience.  I don't have the heart to join the crowd jumping on Emery.  Yeah, he was terrible today.  But it's not like he's going to be fired this early in the season.  I think.

Arsenal 2 - 2 Spuds

I watched this game at a pub in Montreal (not the Burgundy Lion; pub name withheld because of the awful food).  I was encouraged by the overall energy and performance of the Gunners.  Both teams played hard and well and it could have gone either way; the result was fair, I thought.  Random observations:

Luiz seemed to be the Brazilian Mustafi in Liverpool, but tightened up some in this game.  He and Sokratis both took themselves out of the defense on the first goal, though.  Terrible.

I don't see why Emery thinks so highly of Xhaka.  The announcers said that since he joined the EPL, no one has more red cards than he does.  Mistakes like the penalty are horrendous if done once, but when it's repeated often enough, there's a problem.

Our strikers are fantastic, aren't they?

Guendouzi is a star in the making.  Dare I say it:  his game reminds me of Aaron Ramsey's.  Awesome engine, great control, quick passing.  He's playing a bit further back, but he has all the tools.  I love this guy.

I don't really blame Leno for the first goal.  The keeper has to stop the shot, and he did.  No way should an attacker be the first to a loose ball in our six yard box.  I was happy with Szczesny, but I think Leno is a very good keeper and will be our #1 for many years.

The main worry I have is that every team we play, win or lose, has been better organized defensively than we have.  This is about more than the skill and intelligence of the players.  Emery's system has either not been fully absorbed by the squad or it's flawed.  We're letting in too many crosses and shots; it's too easy to penetrate our defense.

The fightback was admirable.  I didn't see any heads down, and the belief (as AW would say) was there.

Well, another two weeks should bring Hector and Kieran and Rob close to being able to feature.  If they can all start by mid-October, we'll be a stronger team.

Arsenal 2 - 1 Burnley

What a goal from Lacazette!  The equalizer from Barnes took a bit of luck, but I can't say Burnley didn't earn it.  They could have had more.  I thought we made it way too easy for them to lump it into good areas.  We were dominant in the second half, though, and were good value for the win.  Auba's strike for his second winner in two games was lovely.

I'm developing a healthy dislike for Ashley Barnes.  If Troy Deeney is a 10 on the Jerk Scale, Barnes is a solid 6.  I think he was the one who kneed Guendouzi in the back, but i guess it could have been the other jerk up front, Wood.

It was nice to see Torreira in there, but he doesn't seem quite 100% yet.  Yes, we got three points in a convincing performance, but I expected more defensive bite in midfield.  When we did press, it seemed to work pretty well.  Burnley's press was stifling in the first half, and our guys are faster and more technical.

The buzz is about Ceballos, and it was merited.  He just thinks faster than most players.  Pepe displayed his talent too, and it won't be long before his final ball becomes as lethal in the EPL as it was in Ligue 1.  Luiz did his job alongside Sokratis.  I've seen Leno look sharper, but he did enough.

All in all, a satisfying three points at home.