Iran 0 - 1 USA

 A fair result, I think.  Iran gave us a scare, but once again our midfield proved too strong for the opponents.  We face the Netherlands in the round of 16, and I like our chances.  They'll be favored, by virtue of their talent and experience, but they will likely be the group winner least fearsome.  Turner has barely been tested, but I think he'll be fine.  Our big problem is that in three games we scored just two goals, and we are very unlikely to win any games 1-0 going forward.

That Tournament in Qatar

 Everything about this World Cup is an abomination and an outrage, except the actual football, which has been watchable.  Randomly:

The US allowed Wales a draw when a quick throw-in very late got the ball to Bale, and Walker Zimmerman chose to knock him down in the penalty area.  Stupid.  We drew with England today, and a win over Iran would see us through to the knockout round.  It won't be easy; a draw would do Iran very nicely and they will play for it.  The US is not a free-scoring team and will have to commit numbers forward, meaning the counter will be on.

It's a decent event for Arsenal players.  Turner was excellent in the US goal, Saka scored twice against Iran, Xhaka's Switzerland won.

The Dutch don't look so great.

Qatar is already knocked out, having lost its first two games.  They did score today.

Saudi Arabia shocked Argentina, and Japan upset Germany, scoring twice (after Tomiyasu came in) to turn it around.

WOL 0 - 2 ARS: Merry Christmas!

 Wolves defended doggedly (ha) and had a couple dangerous counters.  They were pretty good.  But it always looked as though we'd find a way through and it came early in the second half, via slick work from Jesus, who backheeled to Vieira (who came on for Xhaka when he went down ill) running towards the endline, and he dinked it across the goalmouth where Odegaard took it off Saka's toes.  Nice football.  The second came after Martinelli (who had a great second half) stole the ball in their corner, carried it across towards the goal, then backheeled to Zinchenko, who closed and zipped a low cross into the six yard box, blocked out to Martinelli, whose snap shot was saved by Jose Sa, that rebound coming stright to Odegaard twelve yards in front of goal, who had time to take one fine tounc and then curl inside the left post with his favored left foot.  This one was even better.  Martineli had lost the ball to that defender he chased into the corner and won it back from, by himself.  We had a lot of guys in their penalty area.  We kept looking for the second goal and it came.  Wolves did not look all that bad to me.  Maybe the new guy can get them back on track.  A slight improvement, in my opinion, would see them pass a few other clubs by March and they might have a comfortable May.

Top of the table.  There's been a lot of mention on the TV commentary about Arsenal's phenomenal start and how everyone in this position previously won the league.  I'm not buying it.  It will be tough.  We will lose more League games.  We play City twice.  But it's a good year to be a Gunner.

Brentford 2 Manchester City 1

 and now Arsenal is still two points up with a game in hand.  The league seems better balanced this year, from top to bottom, than it has been in many years.  

ARS 1 - 3 BHA: Out of the League Cup

 Well, damn.  Arteta made ten changes from the team that beat Chelsea, and it showed.  We started well enough, with Eddie Nketieh scoring a very nice goal (according to the commentators), but our keeper slipped and then fouled Danny Welbeck in the area and he scored the penalty.  In the second half, they got two impressive goals on counters and weathered the pressure our guys brought to bear.  Arteta did not seem much put out by the result, and in truth this competition has never been one that Arsenal has taken seriously.  But losing any game damages confidence.  Spuds also lost, to Forest.  I guess we didn't need more fixtures, but I would have been happier had we won this.

ARS 1 - 0 ZUR and CHE 0 - 1 ARS

 We did not look great at home against Zurich, but managed to make Tierney's excellent goal stand up and won the group.  It was a relief to know we won't have that extra knockout round to negotiate.  

What a wonderful performance against Chelsea at the Bridge!  The Gunners were dominant and the three points were richly deserved.  We're still top of the table, barely ahead of Man City.  Newcastle is now 3rd (tip of the hat to goal scorer Joe Willock), Spuds, Chelsea, and Man U all having lost.  It's early days yet so there's no point looking at the table and drawing any conclusions.  Every team is just a couple injuries away from a slump.

I congratulate my co-author on Palace's well-earned three points away at West Ham.  The winner came in the last minute of stoppage time.  Palace is now in the top half and will be far above the relegation zone the rest of the way.  I'm backing Vieira to keep them humming even if Zaha leaves after this year.  They have several good players (Eze, Olise, Edouard) who can score.

ARS 5 - 0 NF: An Emphatic Answer to the Doubters

 I admit that I was one of those doubters in gloomy moments.  It was just Forest, who have been pretty bad this year, but for once we took apart a low block and poured in the goals.  It could have been worse for the visitors too.  Artetaball features our "holding" midfielders (usually Xhaka) playing far upfield on a regular basis, and defenses get overloaded.  Forest was shellshocked and must be wondering now how they ever managed to blank Liverpool.

There was so much to like yesterday.  Reiss Nelson's renaissance was the best present Mikel could have gotten, because Saka can't play every minute of the season, and Nelson is his natural replacement.  Nelson was supposedly the next big thing from our academy until Saka burst onto the scene.  Injuries slowed his progress, but he had a very good loan spell at Feyenoord and he was shopped around for a good transfer fee.  Then another injury in the summer scared off suitors, so we kept him here.  That may have been a stroke of luck.  He's earned another run-out or five and if he plays as well as we know he can he'll be a huge asset this season that no one was really counting on.  Credit to Arteta for putting him in after Saka was kicked in the ankle repeatedly and had to come out.

Partey's belter, a carbon copy of the one he scored against Tottenham, was delicious.  Martinelli had another great game, and his opening goal header was spectacular.  Odegaard even got on the scoresheet.  The odd mistake at the back did not hurt us.  Believe it or not, this was our first League clean sheet at home, though all six were wins.

Fingers crossed that Saka recovers.  Arsenal and England will be relying on him.  I don't know how serious Turner's groin injury is, but the USMNT has to be concerned.  He's a commanding presence in the penalty area and not a bad shot stopper either.

Notts County won on Saturday and are three points clear of Wrexham at the top of the National League.  Only two of its 24 teams are promoted to League 2, and only the winner earns automatic promotion (the other has to negotiate a six team playoff).  Every point is precious.