Essential reading, especially the section on set pieces. Have been trying to frame my own thoughts and now don't need to, it's all here.

In a weekend where Liverpool were praised for their set piece goals, ours triggered a debate on rules. The narrative is lazy and reductive.

I thought it was mostly a joke but Spurs getting relegated is a very real prospect

Arsenal are still effective from those situations and have continued to score from them but the reliance hasn't really existed for ages. Before yesterday, Arsenal's last 12 PL goals hadn't been from corners. It was a couple of months since a goal from a corner actually earned Arsenal any points.

I watched the 4-2 Liverpool ‘04 game back in full last week. Absolute car crash football 😂
Both sides giving the ball away, loose in possession, constantly attempting eye of the needle and Hollywood passes. Feels like both would be punished today. It came down to talent basically (Henry, Bergkamp)

Of course. We’re not perfect, I’ve just found the set-pieces media narrative a bit tiring. We should be praised for finding another way to score when teams are crowding the middle of the pitch, making it turgid. Instead, it’s a stick to beat us with. Brighton will be a grind but I have faith!

Is there a problem with opening games from corners though? It still counts as one. I think the way teams set up against us means we have to lean on it. It’s a tool we utilise better than any other team.

I still have faith despite the concerns. I still feel the City game will be the one.

Yep. And also guys, set-piece goals count for one. Open play goals count for one too. It might not be as exhilarating but if you have to break a game open with a set-piece goal, so be it I think!

Sunderland (h), Leeds (a), Bournemouth (a), Villa (h)? I think the whole “we can’t score from open play” rhetoric is slightly OTT. Only four teams have a better open play xG and only three have more open play goals. Could we be better? 100%. And I completely agree no-one is having a stellar season

Declan Rice done it to them again 😭

Has the fact we’re still top with 9 games to go despite being without Havertz and Odegaard for most the season been a bit overlooked? Those two players have been so key previously but have been bit part at best this season. Should we not give the team more credit for where we are? #arsecastextra

We were doing this under Arteta in the first half of this season. No idea why we’ve stopped being able to control games. You do feel that’s something we need to regain in the run in - better control of games when leading, especially in the last 15/20 mins.

Yeah definitely. Both styles can work, both can fail and both certainly have their flaws. Like you say, nobody will care if we’re watching the confetti in May 🙏 🤞

100%. I think it’s also just the way the game has changed these days with how teams set up. It’s a bit more of a level playing field as well. Arsenal could play expansive football back then because opposition teams were generally weaker across the board compared to today

Completely feel that. But we’ve had plenty of open play threat in other games. Some games will be open play games, others require set pieces. It’s going to be like this to the wire. The game at City will likely decide the title

People definitely rewrite history in their minds as time goes on. The Invincibles had so many tight games. Even the 01-02 title was a mad run of wins at the end of the season to seal it - nine by one goal in the 2nd half of the season. Gonna be a hectic ride. Better this than finishing eighth I say!

I think maybe people have forgotten what title races are like. Most games are won by one-goal margins in the run-in. Buckle up indeed 😅

Have you watched City play in the last two games? They’ve not been convincing. Almost identical to Arsenal today. Average performances but three points. That’s what this stage of the season is about. It’s a grind and you’re not going to see champagne football every week

Also had to listen to Yaya Toure telling us that City are playing better football despite being poor against Newcastle and falling over the line at Leeds yesterday. He said Leeds was a really tough game and City controlled it well. We beat them 4-0. We thrashed Spurs 4-1. City drew 2-2 there. 🤷‍♂️

City drew 1-1 at home against Chelsea and we won 4-0 away at Leeds btw.

But credit to City for their 1-0 win yesterday and shame on Arsenal for only winning 2-1 today.

Narratives.

Oh boy am I excited to watch my favourite team play -> I'm going to kms -> nice we won

Always relevant.

Arsenal are going to win the league and it’s going to be a miserable experience whether you love us or hate us.

Get in. Now do not throw it away yet again 🙏

This is all very flat. Hard to shake the feeling that average performances have become the norm in the league and the good ones the outliers since turn of the year. We really, really need to step this up big time

Well we were better than Wolves as well. If you keep throwing it in your net every single game, it’ll keep catching you out

Sky is blue, grass is green and Arsenal have thrown one in their own net. What else is new?

Annoyingly yeah. Helps being able to spend £100m in January

City don’t convince me but four wins in a row and five from their past six does feel a little ominous and a bit like we’ve seen this movie before. Not that it wouldn’t have been anyway, but tomorrow’s a must-win. That Wolves game is going to take a while to forget until City (hopefully) drop points.

City look so average but teams aren’t really making the most of it against them (Newcastle, Leeds). Going to have to keep winning our games all the while everyone keeps rolling over for them

Dan James… woeful

Leeds have been diabolical in this second half