MCI 4 - 1 ARS: No Surprise

 On recent form, one would expect City to beat Arsenal easily at the Etihad, and that's what happened.  Pep's squad is so packed with talent and experience, and so deep, that over a season they are very very hard to top.  We had key injuries, and a few players are not fully recovered from them (like Partey).  But with both teams healthy, they're just better.  Only an unexpected points deduction penalty this season due to the numerous financial impropriety charges the FA has leveled could win it for the Gunners now, and that's a sad way to win a championship anyway.  Arsenal will play for pride through the end, but I expect they'll drop more points and City will finish seven or more points better.

There will be plenty of time to talk about improvements for next season, so I'll hold off on that.  It'll take a lot of money.

ARS 3 - 3 SOU -- That's so Spursy!

 We dug ourselves a 0-2 hole very early, gave away a cheap corner we misdefended in the second half, and could score three ourselves to at least come close to doing what they had to do: get the three points.  One has to say that this team, who could only match Liverpool, West Ham, and Southhampton, does not look like a squad that could stay with Manchester City.  There's no point reciting the horrendous errors made.  What bothers me most is that in these three draws, all Arteta could think to do is throw more attacking players out there instead of mids and backs.  He's not great at in-game adjustments, though he sure talks a lot to his players.  When he started Tierney last game, he had him try to do what Zinchenko does.  I understand the importance of system, but Arteta won't adjust for his players' differing capabilities.

I had not given up on our chances of winning the league before today.  It's not so much the dwindling lead but the way we're playing.  We give away goals.  We're too predictable.  We can't handle a good press (City has the best).  Maybe we've just been found out, the absence of Saliba being an important factor.  (I'm not criticizing Holding.)  We can't finish lower than 2nd.  Today was officially St Totteringham's Day, their being 22 points behind us with seven games to play.  We lost out on Champions' League qualification late last season, and I expect we're in the process of being hauled in by City for the title.

WHU 2 - 2 ARS: Two Points Dropped

 In a replay of the Liverpool contest, we went up 2-0 with ease early.  Then West Ham started playing, and they bullied us.  The only real chance we had after that was the handball PK that Saka sent wide.  Boy do we need a regular penalty taker with real quality, as Arteta was when he played for us.  You'd think he would develop one.  Even before this game, I was not confident that Arsenal could win the title.  There were too many games this season we won when we could easily have lost or drawn on the balance of play.  Leeds last fall. Bournemouth, Villa...well, it's catching up with us.  It's those sucker punch goals from errors and missed assignments.  Teams don't have to do anything spectacular to get a result from Arsenal--they just have to work hard and wait for their chances, and then take them.

Manchester City is a machine.  They shrugged Bayern Munich aside, while we lost to Sporting.  They can play in multiple contests and they expect to win them all.  They just might.  Arsenal can still win the league, but now they have to be perfect in their last seven games, including the one at the Etihad.  No one will expect that now, including Arteta.  I do want to note this, however:

To finish above us this season, Tottenham would have to win all seven of their games, we would have to lose all seven, and they would have to make up the goal difference, which stands at 31 in favor of us.  Effectively, this was St Totteringham's Day.

Palace has made themselves safe.  I would love to know what Vieira is thinking now.

LFC 2 - 2 ARS: Two Points Dropped or One Point Saved?

 Both, I think.  I can't explain why the Gunners dominated early and then Liverpool was the better team for an hour.  But though we blew a two goal lead, we were fortunate to have come away with a point on the balance of play.  It was a wonderful watch, with plenty of excellent goals, controversy, spiky incidents, yellow cards, and tension.  I don't have much to say about it except that Liverpool is a different team away than they are at home.

NCAA Championship

 Isn't it really no more than just an version of a Cup?  Is there really anything such as a No 1 team, in any sport, or is that merely an American myth?  Chelsea, for example,  won a cup in Europe a year or two ago, and far from performing like any world's best team, have tanked ever since.   Isn't it better based on long term performance?  Teams change, evolve, lose and gain players.  The awesome Liverpool of a few years ago, for example, is long gone.  

ARS 4 - 1 LEE

 Okay, it was Leeds, a relegation scrap contestant carrying several important injuries and which did not start its best eleven.  And yes, Leeds looked more dangerous than we did for much of the first half hour.  But class told, and Leeds simply could not keep us out.  Jesus won a penalty (the commentators were calling it soft, but Ayling deliberately put his studs into Jesus's knee as Jesus went by him.  And then he put the PK past the keeper for 1-0.  (highlights here)  After the break, Arsenal turned on the jets and we scored two very nice goals (White for his second for us, and Jesus again).  Leeds got one back off a deflected shot, but they were good value for their goal with some fine offensive work on several occasions.  Xhaka closed out proceedings with a delightful header off a great Odegaard cross.

So, job done today and it's nine games remaining.  Every team has something to play for, either to avoid relegation, a European place, or going for the league title.  There will be no easy games for either us or City.

Palace made Roy Hodgson's homecoming a happy one.  He started Eze, something I would have done every game, and it paid off.  Leicester is sleepwalking into relegation.  Villa humiliated Chelsea at the Bridge to put them in the bottom half.