ARS 6 - 0 LEN: Six Goalscorers Fire Gunners to Top of the Group

 Lens was shredded for four goals in the first half hour, and Arsenal cruised to victory over the club that beat them 2-1 earlier in group play.  There were some really nice goals, too.  This win means that we can rotate extensively in the sixth group game, since we're finishing top no matter what.  With a crowded December schedule and several key injuries, that's big.  Also big is the confidence boost that those goals give their scorers.  Havertz must now feel he's in a groove.  Odegaard and Jesus might feel they're back from their injuries.  Saka and Martinelli continue their fine form, and Jorginho got his first Arsenal goal.  I didn't read anything about new injuries (despite Lens's rough play) either.  It's all good news.

From the highlights I saw, Man U was very unlucky to be held to a draw at Galatasaray.  Only some awful goalkeeping from Onana allowed the Turks to get a point. They're now bottom of their group, but if they win at home against Bayern in two weeks, they may squeak through.  Bayern has nothing to play for in the group (and looked it today), and United almost beat them in Munich, so it could happen.  They'd also need a draw in the other game.  Long odds, but not impossible.  A loss would mean they were out of Europe entirely.

Notts County is still in the hunt for promotion, though it's way too early to speculate about their chances now.  They're clearly one of the better teams in League 2.

Well, back to the Gunners.  Sitting top of their ECL group and top of the EPL, they ought to be feeling pretty good about themselves.  Their defense is among the best in the world.  The attack is underperforming compared to last year, but as Arteta pointed out, Arsenal isn't sneaking up on anyone this year after the way they challenged for the title last year.  Almost every opponent sets a low block and hopes to poach a goal off a counter or a mistake.  Most clubs would be delighted with 0-0 against us even at home.  So scoring is hard work, especially without a dominant center forward.  But so far so good.  I don't know what might happen in the January transfer window.  Money could be tight.  We have great depth in defense (including the keeper) even with Timber out for the season, but the midfield might be a trifle thin if another injury strikes.  (Vieira is out for a couple months after surgery, Partey is always injured.)  Our wingers are world class.  But center forward is light against the top teams.  Jesus is excellent, but he's small; Nketieh is inconsistent; Trossard is not really a CF.  We never really replaced Giroud.  But who's going to part with a proven goalscorer in January?  I actually like our chances even without buying a big name (like Osimhen) who will probably be snapped up by Chelsea anyway.

BRE 0-1 ARS: Kai Comes Through

 The Bees had a great game plan and it almost worked.  They soaked up pressure (though truth to tell it wasn't intense) and looked for countering opportunities.  They also pressed Ramsdale every chance they got and he nearly gifted them a goal in the first half.  But the breakthrough came in the 89th minute via a superb Saka cross and ruthless header from Havertz.  We had to clear the ball off the line twice.  The Gunners were far from their best but it was good enough to leapfrog Liverpool and City, who drew against each other in the early game, into first place.  It's Lens up next mid-week then Wolves on Saturday.

This was Arteta's 200th game in charge of Arsenal, and has the best record in the first 200 games of any Arsenal manager.  Just the one FA Cup so far, but not too shabby.

Manchester City to Be Relegated?

 This guy thinks it's possible.

Geologists know that sometimes what appears to be an earthquake is only a prelude to an even greater seismic event. That is worth remembering amid the tremors of the decision to dock Everton 10 points for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR). Because for Manchester City and Chelsea a quake of a far larger magnitude is potentially looming.

City, after all, have been charged with more than 100 breaches of Premier League rules over multiple years. Chelsea are under investigation for alleged financial wrongdoing between 2012 and 2019 – and, as the Guardian revealed this week, secret payments worth tens of millions of pounds appear to have been made by companies owned by Roman Abramovich.

Everton are the first club to be punished by the league for breaking profitability and sustainability rules, and the leading sports lawyer Catherine Forshaw believes that City and Chelsea will be fearing much more severe punishments – including potential relegation.

As I understand it, the charges against City are mainly about off the books payments to players and staff, whereas with Chelsea it's more about off the books infusions of cash.  In both cases, we're talking about far more serious infringements than Everton's.  Financial Fair Play has been a joke for a long time--Wenger bitched about that for years--but all of a sudden the Premier League is taking it seriously.  Juventus was relegated, but that was for match fixing.  Had City been docked points last season, Arsenal would be the reigning champion now.  It could have happened.  And anything can happen this year.

I don't really understand how FFP is supposed to work and why it is suddenly relevant.  But the basic concept is fairly simple:  the League doesn't want a moneybags owner to waltz in and buy championships with non-football money.  Abramovich and abu Dhabi did just that with Chelsea and City, starting 15 years ago.  It's weird that they were rewarded with multiple championships (all earned on the pitch) and now the hammer might fall.

ARS 2 - 0 SEV and ARS 3 - 1 BUR: Back to Winning Ways

 Sevilla was absolutely throttled Wednesday in a match that put the Gunners in the driver's seat in their ECL group.  I believe all they'd need is a draw in either of their last two games to ensure going into the knockout phase, and I expect them to do better than that.  Ideally, they'll win against Lens and finish top, so can play fringe players against PSV to keep them happy.  The score could have been worse for the visitors.

Burnley put up stiff resistance but were undone by set plays and brave headers in the six yard box, which did not happen against the old Sean Dyche Burnley.  Saka completed the set of EPL teams he scored or assisted against--24--that he's played against.  His headed assist for Trossard to crash in with his head (at the cost of a badly bruised forearm against the goalpost) meant that two of the smallest players on the pitch beat Burnley's defense in the air.  Trossard has scored seven goals, every one assisted by Saka.  Amazing.  Havertz was unimpressive again.  His replacement, Vieira, picked up a red card late.  With all the injuries, we need those guys to start contributing.  Maybe the international break will give our wounded time to recuperate.  We miss Odegaard most, I think.

Results elsewhere in the EPL were mostly gratifying.  Newcastle was beaten 2-0 by Brentford, and Wolves got two great goals in injury time to send Spuds to a 2-1 defeat.  Glorious.  Sadly, Notts County saw a very late goal that defeated them in League 2.  Juve won its fifth in a row.

The Corruption of EPL Game Officials

 The UAE owns Manchester City.  Saudi Arabia owns Newcastle.  The Premier League is insane to have allowed that, but money talks.  It's also talking to the PGMOL, referees from which have been paid handsomely to referee games in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and are being lured to work there with huge salary increases.  Dodgy on-field and VAR decisions are even worse this year than last.  It's at the point where the integrity of the Premier League itself is questionable.  I stewed about the obviously wrong calls in our game yesterday for 24 hours, and I can't think of any reason for those calls than fear or greed on the part of the officials that made them.  The owner of Newcastle tortured a man to death and had him cut up with bonesaws just because he annoyed him.  He's done as much to many others.  But he has a lot of money to hand out.  So, be nice to him--or else?  

I don't know how seriously to take this league anymore.  As Arteta said, it's an absolute disgrace.  They should just auction off the championship and stop wasting our time.

Out of Carabao, Robbed at St James Infirmary

NEW 1 - 0 ARS was a very entertaining game, but I insist that poor decisions from the officials cost us a point at least.  How Guimares escaped a red card for intentionally bashing Jorginho's head at a dead run with his forearm, but you know, VAR helps the Saudis again.  On Newcastle's goal, it was an obvious foul (two arm push in the back) on Gabriel and it should have been ruled out.  There was a chance at offside that VAR actually said it had insufficient evidence either way.  The Magpies defended well against our unimaginative attempts to probe for weaknesses.  There were several dangerous passages of play, but Newcastle was always where they had to be to get a block in or stay strong inside the box.  

That bit of larceny was preceded by our being chased out of the League Cup by a strong West Ham side.  I didn't see the game, but followed along on audio.  We weren't good.

Notts County won a five goal thriller over Crawley Town.

Wellington Phoenix romped over Brisbane 5 - 2.